tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58246570617435159582024-03-14T01:14:52.351-05:00Vargold: The Wolf-TimeBarbaric Yawps on Comics, Fantasy, Games, and Science FictionRob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-55731093320107427302021-06-29T14:19:00.003-05:002021-06-30T14:42:10.166-05:00Digital Vision Cards 1: Vladimir Kush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ever since <a href="https://www.everway.com/" target="_blank">the <i>Everway</i> RPG</a> was published back in 1995, its fans have been supplementing the official Vision Card pictures with images found online. In that spirit (and because <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jessemcgatha/everway-roleplaying-game" target="_blank">the recent Kickstarter</a> has returned <i>Everway</i> to attention), I'm starting a series here on the blog to highlight artists whose work is both inspirational and suited to the assumptions about fantasy that <i>Everway</i> makes.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first artist I'm featuring is self-described "Metaphorical Realist" <a href="https://vladimirkush.com/" target="_blank">Vladimir Kush</a>. His work stems from the Surrealist tradition, but the line between the fantastic and the surreal has always been a thin one. Images like the one at the head of this post ("<a href="https://vladimirkush.com/in-full-sails" target="_blank">In Full Sails</a>," my favorite of his oil paintings) make for perfect digital Vision Cards, and I recommend them to <i>Everway</i> players and GMs.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A similar painting ("<a href="https://vladimirkush.com/departure-of-the-winged-ship" target="_blank">Departure of the Winged Ship</a>") suggests a realm in which all oceangoing vessels are powered by the wings of giant insects.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"<a href="https://vladimirkush.com/heavenly-fruits" target="_blank">Heavenly Fruits</a>," on the other hand, conjures up the idea of a realm where trees are essentially floating arboreal "clouds," capable of being harvested by hand when the wind is quiet.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, Kush's notes for a painting like "<a href="https://vladimirkush.com/dragon-defence" target="_blank">Dragon Defence</a>" can be straight-up borrowed for an <i>Everway</i> game: what if a realm-spanning defensive wall is actually a slowly moving earth dragon?</div>Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-23238057066247514512021-02-01T16:04:00.003-06:002021-02-01T16:04:37.354-06:00Everway Silver Anniversary Edition Funded in 4 Hours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQ5Qa4LqWV2s2GCmWwuWknPGoyHYk1eICC60_1hsDqsBf4918nX961y2HKKlxT4IkBZ_2SFI14vDED5NcdFsVTwMLNdni3Nh4uypwpdoVIo_yr9dpApQ3RlY9sGW6MiWDyu0gYy4lLtCC/s1440/deluxe-fortune-deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1440" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQ5Qa4LqWV2s2GCmWwuWknPGoyHYk1eICC60_1hsDqsBf4918nX961y2HKKlxT4IkBZ_2SFI14vDED5NcdFsVTwMLNdni3Nh4uypwpdoVIo_yr9dpApQ3RlY9sGW6MiWDyu0gYy4lLtCC/w400-h316/deluxe-fortune-deck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Everway</i> RPG has finally managed to draw the Spring card (upright meaning: "new growth") from the Fortune Deck: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jessemcgatha/everway-roleplaying-game/" target="_blank">the Kickstarter for the Silver Anniversary Edition</a> reached its funding goal in just under four hours. (I went in at the $120 level, picking up hardcopies and PDFs of both the players' and gamemasters' books.) Stretch goals have not yet been announced, but they have been strongly hinted at. If you're thinking about backing the Kickstarter but haven't decided yet, check out the free <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/345341" target="_blank">Gateway Book</a> preview: it's an epitome of the two books and, at 62 pages, is rather thorough for a sample.<br /></div>Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-56711641839776847802021-02-01T11:00:00.052-06:002021-02-01T11:00:04.071-06:00Everway Silver Anniversary Edition Kickstarter Live<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5MlONNQJ7N4HMTdDBY7xrE0lDksF9gHMqqUHMIi4ai0PyDuoVy9REks_jLEZFKpCAsYWG5GiHKfxOZz7RPVx6mGHjFYU55nXbTNG7kvd11Dn4Enn5JJ0lQiP1ySCYICow_KfRLyVUPg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5MlONNQJ7N4HMTdDBY7xrE0lDksF9gHMqqUHMIi4ai0PyDuoVy9REks_jLEZFKpCAsYWG5GiHKfxOZz7RPVx6mGHjFYU55nXbTNG7kvd11Dn4Enn5JJ0lQiP1ySCYICow_KfRLyVUPg/s16000/New+Everway.png" /></a></div><br />I'm excited to report that <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jessemcgatha/everway-roleplaying-game" target="_blank">the Kickstarter for the Silver Anniversary Edition of the <i>Everway</i> roleplaying game</a> has just gone live. (Incidentally, so has this blog: surviving 2020 took a lot out of me, and blogging about RPGs wasn't part of the survival plan.) The new edition looks like a great improvement to an already lovely game, providing much more scaffolding for players and GMs to interact with the Thousand Worlds: for example, there are now guidelines for how to create the Boons that <i>Everway</i> Heroes receive as rewards, and the city of Everway has been given a setting overhaul, placing it into a regional context on its home Sphere (and thus making it more than just a waystop). The game's publishers (<a href="https://www.everway.com/" target="_blank">The Everway Company</a>) have put together <a href="https://www.everway.com/everwaykickstarter">a more detailed guide to the revision</a>, complete with some very enticing images of pages and rules material. Once I get a chance to look over the new books myself, I hope to publish more <i>Everway</i>-related material here.<p></p>Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-66186154914176643832019-10-09T15:16:00.003-05:002019-10-09T15:16:58.191-05:00Killing Magic Items<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night, I was prepping for an upcoming class on <a href="https://www.sagadb.org/eiriks_saga_rauda.en" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Eirik the Red's Saga</a>, and I suddenly realized I had material for a blog post that was more than just a link to gaming-related media. I was taking notes on the scene in the fourth chapter of the saga where Christian girl Gudrid Thorbjornsdottir gets roped into singing the "Weird-songs" (<i>Varðlokur</i>) for Thorbjorg, a pagan <i>völva</i> or "prophetess." The narrator is careful to describe Thorbjorg's gear, both her bag of "talismans" and her "staff ... with a knob thereon ... ornamented with brass, and inlaid with gems."<br />
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While looking for images of a <i>völva</i>'s staff to show students, I came across <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=67058&partId=1" target="_blank">the image reproduced above</a>. It's a Norwegian grave good originally identified by British Museum curators as a spit or measuring rod—and since reclassified as a divination-staff. (Once you see <a href="https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/religion-magic-death-and-rituals/the-magic-wands-of-the-seeresses/" target="_blank">some other examples of <i>völva</i> staves</a>, this artifact obviously belongs to the same group of objects.)<br />
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The cool thing about the staff (and here's the payoff for GMs) is the curve in its one end: the curators believe that it was done in a smithy for the purpose of "ritually killing" the staff before burying it with its owner. With the staff bent, the dead <i>völva</i> could not use it against the living if she returned as a <i>draugr</i>. I'm not great with mechanics, so I can't come up with a "magic-item slaying ritual" off the top of my head—but I can immediately see the in-character possibilities for such slain items. At the very least, it's a nice bit of dungeon dressing: there's a wand in this sarcophagus, but it has been deliberately broken by whoever stuck the lich in there. It could be something more, though: how would the player characters go about "resurrecting" a dead magic artifact? Could that even be the focus of an entire campaign?Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-31567635727172109462019-09-30T20:54:00.000-05:002019-09-30T20:54:30.711-05:00D&D & D&D Rules Lawyers<br />
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It's been a crazy busy September in the world of academic administration and university teaching, so this "advertisement" is a welcome laugh.Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-45176380300321594442019-09-04T14:47:00.001-05:002019-09-04T14:47:40.993-05:00Eye of the Beholder Documentary<br />
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I just finished watching <i><a href="http://www.eyeofthebeholdermovie.com/" target="_blank">Eye of the Beholder</a></i>, a new documentary about the history of D&D art. (It apparently premiered at GenCon 2018, but I completely blanked on its existence before now.) The film is wonderful to watch, not only for all the amazing art on display but also to see and hear the actual artists talking about their experiences working for TSR. The film is very ecumenical, celebrating art from all editions and eras of the game—a generosity of spirit I greatly appreciated. Definitely recommended.<br />
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P. S. Larry Elmore's Patronus has to—HAS TO—be Tommy Lee Jones.<br />
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P. P. S. I'm really thrilled to see one of my favorite pieces by Tramp make an appearance in the documentary:<br />
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<br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-48430425929287152572019-09-01T23:06:00.000-05:002019-09-08T13:22:13.656-05:00Secrets of Blackmoor Documentary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I ended the month of August by streaming <i><a href="https://www.secretsofblackmoor.com/" target="_blank">Secrets of Blackmoor</a></i>, the 2019 documentary by Chris Graves and Griffin Mon Morgan III about Dave Arneson, the Twin Cities gaming scene, and the prehistory of roleplaying games. It was a pleasure to see and hear the people behind so many of the stories I've read—and I would love to have Dave Wesely as my game master. At the same time (and this may be a result of my turning 50 back on August 20th), I found watching the documentary a very bittersweet experience: two members of the Blackmoor group—<a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/twincities/obituary.aspx?n=duane-lee-jenkins&pid=182007335&fhid=29374" target="_blank">Duane Jenkins</a> and <a href="http://www.startribune.com/obituary-pete-gaylord-a-force-behind-fantasy-games/384185691/" target="_blank">Pete Gaylord</a>, respectively the first vampire and the first magic-user in RPGs—have passed away since being interviewed for the film. It's a mitzvah that Graves and Morgan got these men and women on film to talk about how they created the hobby we all love, and I definitely recommend watching <i>Secrets</i> when you get a chance.<br />
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P. S. Gary Gygax certainly gets a bit of stick toward the start of the documentary, but that quickly gives way to a celebration of Arneson and his friends.Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-25825408924258671242019-08-28T12:25:00.000-05:002019-08-28T12:28:41.801-05:00[OSE] Core Rules, Rules Tome, and All Classic Fantasy Volumes Released<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Because <a href="https://necroticgnome.com/" target="_blank">Necrotic Gnome</a> doesn't mess around, it took just five days to release the rest of the PDFs in its <a href="https://necroticgnome.com/collections/old-school-essentials" target="_blank">Old School Essentials</a> line: <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279184/OldSchool-Essentials-Core-Rules" target="_blank">Core Rules</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279183/OldSchool-Essentials-Classic-Fantasy-Rules-Tome" target="_blank">Rules Tome</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279185/OldSchool-Essentials-Classic-Fantasy-Genre-Rules" target="_blank">Classic Fantasy: Genre Rules</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279186/OldSchool-Essentials-Classic-Fantasy-Cleric-and-MagicUser-Spells" target="_blank">Classic Fantasy: Cleric and Magic-User Spells</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279187/OldSchool-Essentials-Classic-Fantasy-Monsters" target="_blank">Classic Fantasy: Monsters</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/279188/OldSchool-Essentials-Classic-Fantasy-Treasures" target="_blank">Classic Fantasy: Treasures</a></i>. Time for me to start prepping <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-down-night-haunted-halls-ebook/ebook/product-16061291.html" target="_blank">Stonehell Dungeon</a>!Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-920918458529329232019-08-23T15:24:00.001-05:002019-08-23T15:42:17.230-05:00[OSE] Advanced Fantasy PDFs Released<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGo78z4Uzya583ajVSBFGcdb2fkteYRIXcCaQVWR0_mQwss5c_gwioCEcIjX4Y1X5bHK7I2gw1w2BSSOqni0ObYwiQRiRyxLnMUGN4PJmAS4uz3wS0r5if6xSL0CX0av7SlDtrVfk25bj/s1600/advanced-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="874" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGo78z4Uzya583ajVSBFGcdb2fkteYRIXcCaQVWR0_mQwss5c_gwioCEcIjX4Y1X5bHK7I2gw1w2BSSOqni0ObYwiQRiRyxLnMUGN4PJmAS4uz3wS0r5if6xSL0CX0av7SlDtrVfk25bj/s640/advanced-cover.jpg" width="449" /></a></div>
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Today <a href="https://necroticgnome.com/" target="_blank">Necrotic Gnome</a> released PDFs of the first <i>Advanced Fantasy</i> books in its <a href="https://necroticgnome.com/collections/old-school-essentials" target="_blank">Old School Essentials</a> line: <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/280808/OldSchool-Essentials-Advanced-Fantasy-Genre-Rules" target="_blank"><i>Advanced Fantasy Genre Rules</i></a> and <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/280809/OldSchool-Essentials-Advanced-Fantasy-Druid-and-Illusionist-Spells" target="_blank"><i>Advanced Fantasy Druid and Illusionist Spells</i></a>. These books effectively <i>B/X</i>-ize material from the <i>AD&D Player's Handbook</i> and <i>Unearthed Arcana</i> volumes<i>. </i>(I don't really have to say "advanced version of the original fantasy roleplaying game," do I?) In the case of <i>Advanced Fantasy Genre Rules</i>, that means new human classes (acrobat, assassin, barbarian, bard, druid, illusionist, knight, paladin, ranger), new demi-human classes (drow, duergar, gnome, half-elf, half-orc, svirfneblin), poison rules, and other rules new to <i>B/X</i> games (e.g., separating race from class, multi-classing, weapon specialization, etc.).</div>
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<i>Advanced Fantasy Druid and Illusionist Spells</i> is, well, it's a collection of spells for the <i>Advanced Fantasy Genre Rules</i> druids and illusionists to cast. But Necrotic Gnome has done a wonderful job of adapting the spells, and there's some particularly wonderful artwork to go along with the <i>B/X</i> translations of the <i>AD&D</i> spell entries.</div>
<br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-16421197019329378322019-08-20T13:52:00.002-05:002019-08-20T13:52:41.820-05:0050 Barbaric Birthdays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fifty years ago today, I uttered my first barbaric yawp. Looking forward to another five decades of telling Crom to go to hell!Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-36278840573713135532019-08-17T15:41:00.001-05:002019-08-17T16:47:43.800-05:00A Difference between Gnomes and Dwarves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfvaWwC52AX34Vl83mNLj2Fs5LeGkJVUJmFB7fY2H4tHQ45k58oo6Z3n9JeD6QYWuZ_hvpAk0sccimMxi0WVy471wwV3dx5y6bYoOuO0IsSb20NcyMvgGeGwKIxB95ZacCgi72FJW7qPT/s1600/Smoking+Wizard+Sitting+on+a+Die+6+%2528D6%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="1550" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfvaWwC52AX34Vl83mNLj2Fs5LeGkJVUJmFB7fY2H4tHQ45k58oo6Z3n9JeD6QYWuZ_hvpAk0sccimMxi0WVy471wwV3dx5y6bYoOuO0IsSb20NcyMvgGeGwKIxB95ZacCgi72FJW7qPT/s320/Smoking+Wizard+Sitting+on+a+Die+6+%2528D6%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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As someone who enjoys playing gnomes in <i>D&D</i> (and in fact assumed that the illustration on the title page of the first <i>Player's Handbook</i> depicted one), I always bristle when people complain that gnomes are lesser copies of dwarves. I recognize that the game hasn't always been good about leveraging what makes gnomes interesting as foils to dwarves, and I also agree with those who argue that halflings <i>and</i> gnomes in a campaign is one smaller-than-dwarf species too many. But a game that uses just gnomes can easily highlight the different niches gnomes and dwarves occupy.<br />
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Rather than talk about, say, tricksy gnomes and dour dwarves, I'd like to focus on the spaces the two species occupy. Over on the RPG Pub forum, Edgewise noted that "<a href="https://www.rpgpub.com/threads/lets-read-old-school-essentials-advanced-fantasy-genre-rules.3369/post-117547" target="_blank">dwarves dig in rock and gnomes dig through soil,</a>" and I think that's a distinction with serious implications.<br />
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Gnomes live near the surface, burrowing in dirt. Their tunnels dodge tree roots and criss-cross with those of foxes and badgers. Gnome life is about interaction with living creatures, plants and animals and fungi. You delve around the trees instead of chopping them down to fuel the forges. It's difficult for a gnome to understand why dwarves want to surround themselves with dead stone.<br />
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The dwarves think that the gnomes are literally and figuratively shallow.Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-40030584257450066742019-08-09T12:31:00.000-05:002019-08-15T19:11:04.248-05:00Ernie Colón (1931-2019)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZXpx5dkRsURO-mHHFn_crI52evxmg91h5Vbkp5KrOFY1D9NNayTBUck27URWHBTDNBUheELmDib39VaSzdCnm0iLXn3Ww_emadUfDvISD9RcNnJui8rAO3jaqIMTMIgUK9jxGaafC-o6/s1600/colon-arak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1030" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZXpx5dkRsURO-mHHFn_crI52evxmg91h5Vbkp5KrOFY1D9NNayTBUck27URWHBTDNBUheELmDib39VaSzdCnm0iLXn3Ww_emadUfDvISD9RcNnJui8rAO3jaqIMTMIgUK9jxGaafC-o6/s640/colon-arak.jpg" width="411" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />The official Facebook page for comics artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Col%C3%B3n" target="_blank">Ernie Colón</a> just announced that Ernie passed away yesterday after a struggle with cancer. Ernie's work on <i>Arak, Son of Thunder</i> (he co-created the character with Roy Thomas and pencilled the first twelve issues) was part and parcel of my early years in the tabletop RPG scene: <i>Arak</i> #1 was released in May 1981, ten months after I acquired the Eric Holmes <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> boxed set. I don't think any Quontauka warriors showed up in my <i>D&D</i> games, but I do know that Colón's vision of a mythical Carolingian Europe was central to the way that I saw <i>D&D</i> in my mind's eye. His cover for <i>Arak</i> #8 (December 1981) is one of my favorite pieces of his as are his covers for #9 (January 1982) and #10 (February 1982). That was a great three-month run! Thanks for all the great comics work, Ernie! RIP.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiyXgwQz97fflJXEDqfByN4otL5OS5lzbK0O9KOO82MNlmlTPDaWdaucSgADhhEXtdSeRQ5GoZRK2JU7Hzu-9p2CqzewKYZlxByLdLlueDlTe8YgM8VA07nDe-r-B4Sg90gxVyYiQTuPK/s1600/arak-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1037" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiyXgwQz97fflJXEDqfByN4otL5OS5lzbK0O9KOO82MNlmlTPDaWdaucSgADhhEXtdSeRQ5GoZRK2JU7Hzu-9p2CqzewKYZlxByLdLlueDlTe8YgM8VA07nDe-r-B4Sg90gxVyYiQTuPK/s640/arak-9.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe1kywAAd_7Ba3ZnNTW8vWk0eH51YacR3RljD2eN9k97DVKTbDw_MkePR8TYNcA2-8Z3rXsHhY3UOqDzAlqaBxdmPS8jxZGdBoChJRUxA7EeTQYhq-DxKlehjuf2zj1-CKykmy06e8yke/s1600/arak-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe1kywAAd_7Ba3ZnNTW8vWk0eH51YacR3RljD2eN9k97DVKTbDw_MkePR8TYNcA2-8Z3rXsHhY3UOqDzAlqaBxdmPS8jxZGdBoChJRUxA7EeTQYhq-DxKlehjuf2zj1-CKykmy06e8yke/s640/arak-10.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-28165492963553233892019-07-24T16:36:00.000-05:002019-08-15T19:11:04.242-05:00The Illustrated Example of Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5OVMEeV3ocxNPy8VmNzIViVbuKplKmcqvajxM2n51QscwkhbULyzW89BoQs936Ul1qB2mlluhwuvVZ2wJpv3BbndT4poZ14IxVHVP__fESpH_4E4iBvwuSCmOwRFpjDfZEG39oh3YpQN/s1600/Screenshot+2019-07-24+09.49.37.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="724" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5OVMEeV3ocxNPy8VmNzIViVbuKplKmcqvajxM2n51QscwkhbULyzW89BoQs936Ul1qB2mlluhwuvVZ2wJpv3BbndT4poZ14IxVHVP__fESpH_4E4iBvwuSCmOwRFpjDfZEG39oh3YpQN/s640/Screenshot+2019-07-24+09.49.37.png" width="502" /></a></div><br />The above image is a screenshot of p. 60 of Dreamscape Design's <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/208800/BLUEHOLMETM-Journeymanne-Rules" target="_blank">BLUEHOLME Journeymanne Rules</a>, a retroclone of the 1977 J. Eric Holmes edition of <i>Dungeons and Dragons</i>. I recently purchased the <i>Journeymanne Rules</i> and, while I have yet to fully digest them, I thought that this lovely pairing of sample combat and illustration merited comment. Old school <i>D&D</i> has lots of wonderful examples of play (RIP Frederik and Black Dougal), but I don't recall ever seeing one accompanied by a step-by-step, correspoding illustration before. Kudos to Michael Thomas (the writer) and whichever of his artists came up with this pleasant surprise!Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-71020706197235454342018-04-09T14:52:00.000-05:002019-08-15T19:11:04.255-05:00The Stupidity of Boob Armor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jZJGvLF8tEU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jZJGvLF8tEU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br />Because it's never a bad time to remind people how ridiculous boob armor really is ...Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-83024455446332018422018-03-26T15:20:00.000-05:002019-08-15T19:11:04.257-05:00[Uncharted Worlds] Kylara Vatta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rhuIcwBKL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="303" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rhuIcwBKL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><br />I'm currently blowing my way through <i><a href="http://www.elizabethmoon.com/books-vattawar.html" target="_blank">Vatta's War</a></i>, <a href="http://www.elizabethmoon.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Moon</a>'s five-volume series about the adventures of Kylara "Ky" Vatta, Space Academy dropout and merchant trader scion. (This is so I can get up to speed before starting <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Welcome-Elizabeth-Moon/dp/1101887311/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470439636&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+welcome+moon" target="_blank">Cold Welcome</a></i>, the first book in the new <i>Vatta's Peace</i> series.) I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I can say that the Ky Vatta who appears at the beginning of <i>Trading in Danger</i> (the first book in the series) is a perfect starting character for <a href="http://uncharted-worlds.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Uncharted Worlds</a> (or pretty much any other SF RPG).<br /><br />Vatta's home planet, Slotter Key, provides her with a Productive Origin. (Given the interstellar reputation of Vatta Enterprises, I considered giving her a Privileged Origin, but it's clear that Vattas are expected to work for a living, no matter how much money they may have inherited.) Vatta's not particularly intellectual, so "Education" is out as an Origin skill, and so is "Calibrations"—she's not much of a mechanic. "Acumen" is an obvious choice for a merchanter's child, but she'll be able to get that skill from her Commercial Career (see below). I'm therefore opting for "Vocation": Vatta could use the Expertise boost, and her hard-working nature justifies the choice.<br /><br />Careers are a no-brainer: her parents raised her from infancy to be Commercial, and her contrary nature led her to the Slotter Key Space Academy and thus Military. Because Vatta never made it out of the Academy (she's kicked out for political reasons on p. 2 of <i>Trading in Danger</i>), one skill from Military should be enough, and "Authority" is the obvious pick here. As the plot of the novel will go on to make clear, Vatta may be a neophyte captain, but she knows how to command her crew. The remaining two skills a starting <i>UW</i> character gets will come from Commercial: "Marketing" (Vatta knows where to go to get what she needs) and the aforementioned "Acumen" (she knows how to read the market once she arrives).<br /><br />Stats are also straightforward. Vatta puts her +2 in Mettle (courage under fire is her forte), one of her +1s in Physique (she is deceptively tough for her age and size), and the other +1 in Influence (she's certainly charismatic). Her 0 goes into Expertise, which is subsequently raised to a +1 courtesy of her "Vocation" Origin skill (she's not a genius, but she knows how to apply herself). Her -1 has to go into Interface: she's no hacker, even if she knows her way around an cerebral implant.<br /><br />The mission she's given by her father (to deliver some goods in an aging hull en route to the scrapyard) is straightforward enough, so her Advancement trigger is "A cargo is exchanged." The clear choice for a Workspace is "Mercantile," but here Vatta's GM might intervene and make the space a bit less cushy (to reflect the decrepit condition of Vatta's ship, the <i>Glynnis Jones</i>).<br /><br />Characters normally start play with a Class 0 Attire outfit, but Vatta's fashion-minded mother has made sure that she has a stylish Vatta Enterprises uniform (Class 1 Uniform, Impressive) as well. She also has her setting's ubiquitous cerebral implant (Class 1 Cybermod, Head, Implement-Broadcast Kit), allowing her to connect to local networks, transmitting and receiving information. Finally, her Class 2 asset is a top-of-the-line Deere Ltd. pressure suit (Class 1 Simple, Tough, Sealed).<br /><br />It's always a good sign when a game system allows you to accurately translate the abilities and qualities of a fictional protagonist from a related genre, and that's certainly the case here with <i>UW</i>.<br /><br /><br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-54865545450336078852018-03-20T16:28:00.000-05:002019-08-15T19:11:04.252-05:00[Uncharted Worlds] Pets in SPAAAACE! Addendum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://78.media.tumblr.com/0905f01a38e62aa118163e4b1d006d6b/tumblr_p1o0rzkrfs1qfy2kdo1_540.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="540" height="130" src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/0905f01a38e62aa118163e4b1d006d6b/tumblr_p1o0rzkrfs1qfy2kdo1_540.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />I can't believe I didn't stat up these little guys when I wrote the original <a href="https://hoom-page.blogspot.com/2017/07/uncharted-worlds-pets-in-spaaaace.html" target="_blank">"Pets in SPAAAACE!"</a> post back in July 2017. I guess I didn't have the full <i>Last Jedi</i> fever at that point. Anyhoo, if you want to add porgs to your <i>Uncharted Worlds</i> game, their basic (Class 0) Beast chassis has Natural Locomotion (Flying) as a default. Movement (Swimming) is almost a mandatory upgrade, as is Tiny.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/3h2lUwrZKilQKbAK6f/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="480" height="134" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/3h2lUwrZKilQKbAK6f/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />You may also want to give your porg the Emotional upgrade (although you can decide whether the mental state they exude is bliss or rage).Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-55411096097457970702017-07-21T17:31:00.000-05:002017-07-21T17:33:34.747-05:00[Uncharted Worlds] Pets in SPAAAACE!<br />
A few weeks back Sean Gomes released the long-awaited <i><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/215816/Uncharted-Worlds-Far-Beyond-Humanity" target="_blank">Far Beyond Humanity</a></i> supplement for his <i><a href="http://uncharted-worlds.com/" target="_blank">Uncharted Worlds</a></i> RPG. <i>FBH</i> contains—among other things—rules for adding not only extranormal powers to one's <i>UW</i> campaign but also alien player characters. I haven't had a chance to read over the book carefully, but I did find my eyes drawn to one page in particular: the page in the "Commercial" chapter on beast Assets.<br />
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Ever since I played a Dwarf Hunter in <i>World of Warcraft</i>, I've been obsessed with pets for characters. (Well, it's possible that watching <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beastmaster" target="_blank">The Beastmaster</a></i> all those years on TBS may also be responsible for this predilection.) For example, the lack of a good Beastmaster Ranger option in Fifth Edition <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> is a major factor in my lack of enthusiasm for those rules. Conversely, the awesome Animal Companion and Pet rules in <i>13th Age</i> made that game an easy sell for me (as shown <a href="http://vargold.blogspot.com/2014/08/13th-age-gnome-ranger-mim-and-her.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://vargold.blogspot.com/2014/09/13th-age-red-nose-roger-1st-level-human.html" target="_blank">here</a>). So finally getting pet rules for <i>UW</i> (something I missed during Sean's open development process for the book) makes me happy.<br />
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I'm also happy because the rules for beast Assets allow me to recreate famous science fiction pets right out of the gate.<br />
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For example, Kitty Pryde's beloved space dragon <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_(comics)" target="_blank">Lockheed</a> is a cinch to make: start with a Class 2 Asset beast chassis (basic ability + 2 upgrades), the sort of chassis you'd take if you were going to make a critter-centered PC. A beast Asset can have either Natural Weaponry (one upgrade from the Melee Weapons table) or Natural Locomotion (something other than just walking). I could give Lockheed the Energy upgrade to represent his fiery breath—or I could give him Flying as a form of locomotion. In this case, I'm going to go with Flying because I can also give Lockheed a beast upgrade of Deadly to get the Energy attack. For my second upgrade, I take Tiny; Lockheed is always perched on Kitty's shoulder.<br />
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And that's it!<br />
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Anne McCaffrey's <a href="http://pern.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Lizard" target="_blank">fire lizards</a> are just as easy to make as Lockheed. Replace Deadly with the upgrade Bond, allowing Beauty and the rest of her flight to telempathically communicate with Menolly. No other changes are needed.<br />
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Finally, it turns out that you can make <a href="https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Ash%27s_Pikachu" target="_blank">this guy</a> with the <i>FBH</i> beast Asset rules:<br />
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Start with Natural Weaponry (the Energy upgrade to represent his lightning Pokémon powers) for free, add the Attuned upgrade (so that Pikachu can't be hurt by the electricity he channels), and then finish him off with the Summoned upgrade ("Pikachu, I choose you!").<br />
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A pet like Doctor Who's K-9 is better off handled as a PC built along the lines of the new Robotic Alien Form rules. For more simple critters, though, you are essentially set with this one page alone.<br />
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<br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-12235101049293960702017-07-10T16:31:00.001-05:002017-07-10T16:34:21.912-05:00[Macchiato Monsters] Taking Character Creation for a Spin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's make a <i>Macchiato Monsters</i> player character!<br />
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<b>1. Roll dice to generate ability scores.</b><br />
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The rules say to "Roll 3d6 in order" for the classic six abilities, but I haven't done that since rolling up my first character in 1980. I'll use Method I from the <i>AD&D</i> <i>Dungeon Master's Guide</i> instead: roll 4d6 in order, dropping the lowest die each time. With a little help from <a href="http://www.brockjones.com/dieroller/dice.htm" target="_blank">Brock Jones's Online Die Roller</a>, I get this array of scores:<br />
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STR 10, INT 12, WIS 12, DEX 14, CON 15, CHA 9<br />
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Right away I see that I'm looking at someone quite tough and fast with more than a modicum of cleverness and common sense as well. I am allowed by the <i>MM</i> rules to switch one pair of scores; in this case, I'll swap DEX for CON:<br />
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STR 10 (50%), INT 12 (60%), WIS 12 (60%), DEX 15 (75%), CON 14 (70%), CHA 9 (45%)<br />
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The parenthetical percentages above aren't officially part of the <i>MM</i> rules; I've just included them as a means of gauging the character's chances when trying to roll under a given score on an ability check.<br />
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<b>2. Create a trait.</b><br />
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There are no set classes and races in <i>MM</i>, so I have lots of flexibility in choosing one free trait (race, occupation, background, or faction). For the sake of this character creation exercise, I'll make my life easy and go with the assumption of a standard <i>D&D</i>-esque fantasy world. High DEX and CON point me toward a roguish character of the dwarf/gnome/halfling variety. I like dwarves, so let's go with that for race. As for occupation, I'm going to steal a page from <i>13th Age</i> and say that this character uses his thievish talents to recover treasures "borrowed" from the dwarves over the years. In other words, my trait is:<br />
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REPO DWARF<br />
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In game terms, this trait will give me advantage on ability checks related to "either repossessing" stolen treasures or being a dwarf. I could conceivably cram more information into that trait (e.g., "Repo Dwarf for His Subterranean Majesty" or "Repo Dwarf from the Pox Cities") to gain advantage in additional contexts, but my read of the <i>MM</i> community is that traits preferably consist at most of two elements combined. I'm more than willing to be corrected on this point, though!<br />
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<b>3. Record hit die.</b><br />
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A straightforward step: all <i>MM</i> characters begin with 1d6 HD.<br />
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<b>4. Choose two character creation options.</b><br />
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Here's where I can make choices that flesh out my character mechanically: enhance a score of 10 or less, write down an additional trait, gain a second hit die, undergo Magic Training to acquire two spells, undergo Combat Training to get a larger hit die and proficiency with bigger weapons and stronger armor, or undergo Specialist Training to get just about any other type of capability.<br />
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I'm not interested in boosting my STR or CHA, nor do I want to cast spells. "Repo Dwarf" covers everything I want in a trait right now, so I'll pass over that option as well. A second hit die is certainly in a dwarf's wheelhouse, but I am going to hold off on that now for reasons to be revealed in the next step of the process.<br />
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That leaves Combat Training and Specialist Training, and I'm more than happy to take both. One level of Combat Training raises my hit die to d8 and allows me to handle d8 weapons and armor; most rogue concepts could probably get by with d6 weapons and armor, but I envision dwarven rogues as packing more serious kit. As for "Specialist Training," I'm going to take "B&E" so as to be able to get through a locked door without a check once per day.<br />
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<b>5. Roll hit points.</b><br />
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I haven't rolled hit points while playing <i>D&D</i> at first level since the 1980s—and I'm not about to start now. So I'll just take 8 HP and go my merry way. (The official <i>MM</i> rules allow characters to burn a permanent point of CON to get a reroll, so no one is stuck with 1 HP.)<br />
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<b>6. Roll for languages.</b><br />
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At the start of play, characters check INT, WIS, and CHA to see what languages (if any) they know beyond their native tongue (or the common trade language). I rolled a 2 against my INT of 12, a 9 against my WIS of 12, and a 13 against my CHA of 9. So Dwarven and two other languages: the humans' Tradespeak for the first and Goblin for the second (since those little buggers are often in illicit possession of dwarven artifacts).<br />
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<b>7. Roll for equipment.</b><br />
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The final step is probably the most distinctive of <i>MM</i>'s character creation steps: equipment isn't purchased with randomly rolled funds (e.g., the traditional 3d6x10 of old school <i>D&D</i>). Instead, you receive a d20, a d12, a d10, a d8, a d6, and a d4 to roll on any combination of equipment tables (equipment and food, wealth and valuables, melee weapons, missile weapons, and armor). The idea here is that beginning adventurers are cobbling together their kit.<br />
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I want a shot at thieves' tools, so I'll spend my d20 on the equipment and food table. A natural 20 (!) gives me peppered cheese and cider (dR4), a fine horse, cartographer's tools (dR8), and torches (dR6). Clearly I'm on the trail of something big.<br />
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Since I didn't get thieves' tools, I may have to buy them. That requires cash, so I spend my d12 on wealth and valuables. Whew! A result of 8 gives me a leather pouch of silver (dR8). That won't get me high-end lock picks, but dR6 is better than nothing. (If I'm reading the price guidelines correctly, a pouch of silver isn't enough to purchase quality gear worth dR8 in value.)<br />
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Treasure thieves don't hand over their ill-gotten goods easily, so I need weapons. A d6 on the melee weapons table produces a hammer (d6), and a d8 on the missile weapons table results in a quiver of dR6 darts (d6). I feel like I need a bit more attack power, so I roll my d4 on the melee table and acquire ... a dR10 bag of polished rocks (d4).<br />
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Yipes! I hope my d10 pays off on the armor table. I roll a 7, good enough for a leather harness (dR6) that at least looks sufficiently roguish. That decision to take Combat Training doesn't seem so wise retrospectively, but I suppose that having 8 HP will let me live long enough to loot better-quality weapons and armor—right?<br />
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<b>8. Put it all together.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Here's my character in pure game terms:<br />
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<b>AUDO</b> (medieval variation on the name of Emilio Estevez's character from <i>Repo Man</i>)<br />
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<b>Level: </b>1<br />
<b>STR</b> 10, <b>INT</b> 12, <b>WIS</b> 12, <b>DEX</b> 15, <b>CON</b> 14, <b>CHA</b> 9<br />
<b>Traits: </b>Repo Dwarf<br />
<b>HD:</b> 1d8<br />
<b>HP:</b> 8<br />
<b>Abilities: </b>Combat Training (to d8), Specialist Training: B&E<br />
<b>Languages:</b> Dwarven, Goblin, Tradespeak<br />
<b>Gear:</b> bag of dR10 polished rocks (d4), cartographer's tools (dR8), peppered cheese and cider (dR4), fine horse, hammer (d6), leather harness (dR6), leather pouch of silver (dR8), quiver (dR6) of darts (d6), torches (dR6)<br />
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I'm happy with these results. Going in order with the abilities made me choose a concept I probably wouldn't have considered (the classic defense of old school ability generation), and I'm fine with that. It's balanced by the character's freeform traits and training. In some ways I would have preferred the "pool of GP" approach to equipment, but I'm willing to bend in the direction of randomly determining gear (and the story behind said gear). Just don't try to make me give up my "4d6, drop lowest" and "maximum HP at first level"!Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-24982208085172345622017-07-03T12:41:00.002-05:002017-07-03T12:41:57.561-05:00[Macchiato Monsters] Initial Thoughts<br />
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In December 2016, I purchased the ashcan edition of <i><a href="http://quenouille.com/macchiato-monsters-dungeonverse-build-together/" target="_blank">Macchiato Monsters</a></i>, Eric Nieudan's in-progress contribution to the crowded OSR RPG scene. Because the new academic semester began a few weeks later in January 2017, I didn't have much of a chance to peruse the game until now. But I'm glad that I did.<br />
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What attracted me to <i>MM</i> was its freeform approach to classic <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>. There are no character classes: characters are instead built by combining player-determined traits (e.g., "Retired infantry sergeant," "Elven illusionist," "Guild artificer") with a small menu of mechanical options (boosts to ability scores below 10, extra hit dice, additional traits, Magic Training, Combat Training, and Specialist Training). So the "Retired infantry sergeant" might take Combat Training to raise his starting hit die of 1d6 to 1d8 and qualify for weapons and armor ranked at d8. He could then use his second pick to add a hit die, giving him a total of 2d8 to roll for hit points. Magic Training would give the "Elven illusionist" two freeform spells: e.g., "Fairy glamour" and "Brilliant blast." (Spells could a variable amount of hit points to cast depending on the effect the magic-user is after.) And the "Guild artificer" could use his Specialist Training to build a "Clockwork companion" that could effect the course of the game once per day.<br />
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Equally freeform is the experience system. Characters improve by completing a number of in-character, party-determined goals equal to their next level. (Eric also suggests allowing each character to have a single personal goal.) In practice, this amounts to a level gain every <i>n+1</i> adventures (where <i>n</i> equals the party's current level), but it does free the characters from coin-counting for XP even in the midst of more "heroic" adventures. (You're of course free to decide as a group that "Looting the Temple of Orcus" is the party's next goal—the mercenary instincts of murder hobos are not incompatible with <i>MM</i>.)<br />
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The three killer apps of the game are stat checks, advantage/disadvantage (adapted from <a href="http://dnd.wizards.com/" target="_blank">Fifth Edition <i>D&D</i></a>), and risk dice (borrowed from David Black's <i><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/178359/The-Black-Hack" target="_blank">The Black Hack</a></i> and put to expanded use). Stat checks allow characters to take risks or escape danger by rolling under their current stat values on a d20. Find yourself poisoned at a banquet? Check your CON. Want to break the goblins' runic code? Roll under your INT. A result of 1 is a critical success; a 20, a tragic blunder. I like this system because it makes the raw ability scores matter and eliminates those pesky stat bonuses. Also, knowing that your 9 CHA gives you a 45% chance of impressing the king just feels better than having +0 to your roll.<br />
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Advantage and disadvantage let you roll two dice instead of one, taking the best result if you have advantage and the worst result if you have disadvantage. When making a stat check, "best" means picking the lowest die. When rolling damage, "best" means picking the highest result. As Fifth Edition fans know, advantage/disadvantage is an elegant way of getting rid of situational modifiers. In <i>MM</i>, it also gives you the functional equivalent of a skill system: the "Retired infantry sergeant" would have an advantage navigating the imperial bureaucracy, while the "Elven illusionist" would be at a disadvantage in that situation. The system also allows for a nice solution to two-handed weapons: wielding with two hands give you advantage on your damage rolls.<br />
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Finally, risk dice. As I understand it, their primary use in <i>The Black Hack</i> is to simulate dwindling resources or fragile gear. So a torch might be rated at dR6, with every roll of 1-3 (in <i>MM</i>) stepping the risk die down (and thus representing the torches burning out). <i>MM</i> expands their functionality across the game. For example, the encounter risk die is used to simulate the rate at which a random encounter takes place. As the die steps down, the monsters in the dungeon become increasingly alerted to the adventurers' presence. Monster morale is also handled by risk dice: monsters who lose morale once become increasingly likely to lose it again. Finally, to give just one more instance, followers are rated via risk dice as a means of representing their loyalty and capability. If you abuse your follower and make them take unnecessary risks, their risk die will eventually drop below dR4, costing you a retainer.<br />
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There's an awful lot more packed into the ashcan's 34 pages, but I think I've conveyed the gist of what makes <i>MM</i> so appealing to me. The game is definitely worth the $8 I paid for <a href="http://lostpages.storenvy.com/collections/212742-all-products/products/18488116-macchiato-monster-zero-print-pdf" target="_blank">the print+PDF combo</a>. I will be getting a chance to play in the next few weeks, so I'll report back then at how the game actually handles.Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-76326356323960577922017-06-30T14:13:00.000-05:002017-06-30T14:13:05.485-05:00Awesome Dad Draws Awesome D&D Monster ABC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Check out <a href="https://imgur.com/t/funny/ZojOz" target="_blank">this amazing D&D monster-themed ABC</a> made by Imgur user "ungodlywarlock"! It's wonderful!<br />
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P. S. I used the "owlbear" page for this post's image, but the "mimic" page nearly took pride of place.Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-92026648841673328772017-01-03T20:31:00.001-06:002017-01-03T20:48:54.306-06:00[The Expanse] Babylon's Ashes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just finished <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018S2773Y/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">Babylon's Ashes</a></i>, the latest installment in James S. A. Corey's Expanse series. I consumed the first five books in the series over the course of a week at the end of October/beginning of November, so there was no way I was going to miss this one—even if I had to wait until after Christmas to make sure that I didn't buy something I was also getting as a gift.<br />
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No spoilers here; I'll just say that I loved the book, taking less than a day to read it. All your favorites are back, along with a few surprises, and Avasarala comes up with some choice new profanities. Definitely recommended, even in hardcover (after reading the first five books in digital format, I decided I could commit to hardcover from this point on in the series).Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-24415275658284599442016-12-07T11:22:00.000-06:002016-12-07T14:53:03.068-06:00[Ars Magica] Revised/Second Edition Available in PDF<br />
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So this happened last week: <a href="http://blog.atlas-games.com/" target="_blank">Atlas Games</a> finally made a PDF of the much loved Revised/Second Edition of <i>Ars Magica</i> available for sale at <a href="http://www.warehouse23.com/products/AG0201PDF" target="_blank">Warehouse 23</a> (cost $15). Apparently a much loved copy of the physical rulebook was destroyed to make the scan: you can find some handwritten house-rules in the margins of pp. 40-41. There's also a small scanning artifact at the bottom of p. 35 (some text is distorted), but overall it's a perfectly usable scan. Would I love to get a POD version of this book? Yes, I would.<br />
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Why am I excited by this release? Because <i>Ars Magica</i> was my first introduction to serious campaign play. Back in 1994, my friend Mike Simpson launched the Deadfire Saga, the story of a bunch of misfit <i>magi</i> in a post-Order fourteenth century who come across anachronistic firearms. Hijinks ensued. We used the Third Edition version of the rules, the one from White Wolf that everyone likes to decry because of the True Reason mechanic (something that takes all of five seconds to excise, easily allowing folks to void any connection to the World of Darkness).<br />
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We were always hearing grumbling grognards complain about the liberties Third Edition took with the Revised Edition, lovingly referred to on the Berkeley <i>Ars Magica</i> mailing list as the OTE (or One True Edition). So I had long wanted to see just what the fuss was.<br />
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When I finally got a used copy of the rulebook, what I discovered was not the Holy Grail of <i>Artes Magicae</i>, but a perfectly wonderful version of the game that sat right in the sweet spot of mechanics and whimsy. The Fourth and Fifth Editions of <i>Ars Magica</i> are perfectly fine, but simulation of medieval reality to the point of generating mechanics for textual commentaries versus lab notes versus <i>summae</i> versus <i>tractatus</i> is not my thing. In Revised Edition, none of that has happened yet, and now Atlas has made sure that I can get an inexpensive copy of the Revised rules.<br />
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Maybe I'll run Revised Edition. At the very least I need to take the character creation rules for a test-drive here ...Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-8277114859207265092016-11-05T20:56:00.000-05:002016-11-05T20:58:22.030-05:00A Brief Meditation on Marvel's Doctor Strange<br />
Saw Benedict Cumberbatch as <i>Doctor Strange</i> last night in IMAX 3D. Totally worth the expense: this is the very rare film that makes effective use of 3D. In fact, I'd probably rate the film as one of my top three superhero picks, primarily because director Scott Derrickson actually connects the form of his film to its thematic content, playing games with sequentiality and time that gesture toward the ways that the comics page does the same. He doesn't make the valiant but doomed attempt to replicate the simultaneous spatiality of the comics page that we saw in Ang Lee's <i>Hulk</i>—instead Derrickson makes the linearity of cinema's temporal experience a means of exploring the plot's interest in immortality and causality.<br />
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Put another way, in <i>Doctor Strange</i>, this iconography:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG0ltDU_xxuRwqV3qsN9A3DCqcagZBn5ALjz2js1ZOgSgF1KLDzycY0iOlAHdKCpscQHEvvXY6V1VfM4NlgWY6PRnZ0gAuyGJK-MMXY2yX5WnfAhVYVTcoRDHm7cf4ZhGN5-FfmeOvUqU/s1600/the-eye-of-agomotto-in-doctor-strange-which-is-probably-the-time-stone.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG0ltDU_xxuRwqV3qsN9A3DCqcagZBn5ALjz2js1ZOgSgF1KLDzycY0iOlAHdKCpscQHEvvXY6V1VfM4NlgWY6PRnZ0gAuyGJK-MMXY2yX5WnfAhVYVTcoRDHm7cf4ZhGN5-FfmeOvUqU/s320/the-eye-of-agomotto-in-doctor-strange-which-is-probably-the-time-stone.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Equals this iconography:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGka5MrbTJiifjjHfBJXqQlp6iXtueuNihCZmhTMCkVTQlJUqGbB2XUEk89LfwrKJ9_jOJ2Ff5QWEExozIuSGztKovSQoWBfIXqhqA-Xc4JSZiAsz8WLvNsLYbsfK7TXeAhMOt81aaB6mN/s1600/4999691615_49e2530285_b.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGka5MrbTJiifjjHfBJXqQlp6iXtueuNihCZmhTMCkVTQlJUqGbB2XUEk89LfwrKJ9_jOJ2Ff5QWEExozIuSGztKovSQoWBfIXqhqA-Xc4JSZiAsz8WLvNsLYbsfK7TXeAhMOt81aaB6mN/s320/4999691615_49e2530285_b.jpg" width="308" /></a><br />
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The bar has been raised for the filmic realization of comics, folks!Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-45849760756452935752016-11-04T10:59:00.000-05:002016-12-07T16:56:12.932-06:00[Uncharted Worlds] James Holden<br />
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Right now I'm obsessed with two things: James S. A. Corey's <i>Expanse</i> setting (in both its <a href="http://www.jamessacorey.com/">novel</a> and <a href="http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse">TV</a> forms) and Sean Gomes's <i>Uncharted Worlds</i> RPG. And because I like to test out RPGs by seeing if they can replicate characters from other media, I thought I'd take a shot at using <i>Uncharted Worlds</i> to create James Holden, "the luckiest dipshit in the solar system" (episode 6, "Rock Bottom").<br />
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Unlike other RPGs in the Powered by the Apocalypse family, characters in <i>Uncharted Worlds</i> are not created using preestablished archetypal playbooks (e.g., the Gunlugger of <i>Apocalypse World</i> or the Spectre of <i>Urban Shadows</i>). Instead, <i>UW</i> characters are generated by combining two careers with a single origin and then selecting a combination of skills from those packages (three from the careers, one from the origin).<br />
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In Holden's case, his upbringing on a Montana farm would give him the Rustic origin. There are four skills associated with each origin (as well as with each career). The choices for Rustic characters are Hard Labor, Construction, Survival, and Chemistry. Hard Labor's description ("You can perform long grueling hours of physical labor with minimal rest") seems most suited to the Holden of the novels, so I'm going to select it. When I get around to selecting Holden's attributes, I will receive a +1 bonus to Holden's Physique stat.<br />
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On to careers. Holden's time serving as a First Lieutenant in the United Nations Navy makes Military an obvious choice here. Picking a second career is a bit harder: Holden could take Commercial or Industrial or Starfarer to reflect his time serving as XO on the Pur & Kleen ice-hauler <i>Canterbury</i>—all three seem thematically appropriate. He could also take Personality since that's what he becomes over the course of the series: the most notorious man in human space. But I think it's best to hold off on Personality (and the Fame skill that comes with it) until later in the notional <i>Expanse</i> campaign. Looking at the other three careers, I'm going to reject Commercial as too financial (Holden isn't anymore particularly adept at business than the rest of the crew) and Industrial as too much in Amos Burton's wheelhouse as the group mechanic. That leaves me with Starfarer, which seems perfect for Holden and his system-roving ways.<br />
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The skills I select from Holden's Military and Starfarer careers are (from Military) Toughness and Authority and (from Starfarer) Weightless. Toughless lets Holden suffer two injuries of each severity level instead of one (necessary for our much beaten-on protagonist) while Authority reflects Holden's innate charisma, allowing him to convert even resistant NPCs to his latest righteous cause. With Weightless, Holden can ignore the Clumsy trait that otherwise comes with zero-gravity movement.<br />
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Time to distribute stats. <i>UW</i> has six stats (Mettle, Physique, Expertise, Influence, and Interface), and characters have an array of +2 / +1 / +1 / 0 / -1 to assign to these stats. Influence (personality and charisma) is the definite home for the +2 value. As the generic protagonist figure, Holden is generally an all-rounder, so I'm going to put the +1 values in his Mettle (courage, reflexes, discipline) and his Expertise (education, cleverness). Then I'm going to leverage Holden's Hard Labor skill to turn a 0 in Physique (strength, fitness, good lucks) into a +1. That leaves me with a -1 for Interface (technological aptitude, programming). Holden's not a total ignoramus with tech, but really he has Naomi, Amos, and Alex to handle all the beep-boop-beep stuff.<br />
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At this point, players select an advancement method from a career they wish to pursue. These are triggers that allow the group to check XP when set off by any character. For example, Starfarer's advancements include such triggers as "A passenger reaches a destination" or "A piloting maneuver causes a reversal." The expectation is that characters will start off looking to advance one of their beginning careers, but this is not mandatory—and that's good since I want Holden to pursue his "famous troublemaker" ambition right from the get-go. One of the Personality triggers is "A statement starts or ends a fight," and that seems ... appropriate for the man whose broadcast message on the destruction of the <i>Cant</i> begins an intersystem war.<br />
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The remaining steps of <i>UW</i> character creation focus on gear. Characters can add a workspace from one of their careers to a ship, station, or city (based on the scope of the campaign), and they can select a package of personal assets (clothing, weapons, and other gear). I'm not going to bother with these steps at present.<br />
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Overall, I think <i>UW</i> does an excellent job of representing Holden in game terms. The other members of the <i>Rocinante</i> crew fit the system as well: Naomi is a Galactic Industrial Technocrat (i.e., a Belter engineer and coder); Amos, an Impoverished Scoundrel Industrial (a mechanic from the mean streets of future Baltimore); and Alex, a Colonial Military Starfarer (origin aside, the Martian pilot is the closest in skill set and archetype to Holden). Toss in Miller as a Crowded Academic Clandestine (Belter neo-noir detective), and you've got the main characters down cold.<br />
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<br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5824657061743515958.post-68265834656566354682016-10-03T13:43:00.000-05:002016-10-03T13:45:02.763-05:002016: What a Year (and It's Still Not Over)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a long time since I last updated this blog—nearly a year in fact! The Spring 2016 semester turned out to be just as labor-intensive as the Fall 2015 semester, and then my mother broke her right hip at the end of Finals Week. Summer 2016 was thus devoted to figuring out where my parents were going to be living (end result: in my house for 75% of the year) and then getting their stuff sold and/or packed for the move. I've only just been able to get back into the office, well over a month into what was supposed to be a research leave.<br />
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But ... my parents are settling in, my wife and kids and I are adjusting to the 50% increase in the size of our household, I'm starting to get work done, and I'm still gaming:<br />
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<b><i>Barbarians of Lemuria</i></b><br />
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My Thursday night group is playing <i>BoL</i> whenever we don't have a sufficient quorum for <i>Supers! Revised</i>. The character I'm playing is a Mythic Edition update of <a href="http://vargold.blogspot.com/2010/02/quaris-fallen.html">Quaris the Fallen</a>, the Legendary Edition character who was the subject of the very first post on this blog. It's a nice change to be playing a <i>BoL</i> hero instead of their opposition for once.<br />
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<b><i>Supers! Revised</i></b><br />
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Our <i>Supers! Revised</i> GM (also the <i>BoL</i> GM) wasn't feeling the vibe with our Earthside campaign, so he retired it (along with <a href="http://vargold.blogspot.com/2014/10/supers-brute-squad.html">Brute Squad</a>, my duplicating brick hero, and a newer character, the arrogant Sasquatch geneticist Big Thought). The new campaign is set in outer space, and my new hero is a tribute to Hal Clement's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Gravity-Hal-Clement-ebook/dp/B017CJOWTG/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Mission of Gravity</a></i> Mesklinites:<br />
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"Legs," as his teammates call him, is a sentient millipede the size of a mastiff. His already substantial strength and toughness (he's a heavy-worlder) have been amplified by an ancient ritual, so all of his many limbs pack a powerful punch.<br />
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<b><i>Uncharted Worlds</i></b><br />
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I've been doing a great deal of science fiction reading for the last several months, and my thoughts turned to SF gaming as a result (aided and abetted by the <i>Supers!</i> campaign). A little research into available, rules-lite SF TTRPGs turned up Sean Gomes's <i><a href="http://uncharted-worlds.com/">Uncharted Worlds</a></i>, a Powered by the Apocalypse system that occupies (for me) a happy medium between traditional RPGs and the more thematic, story-driven games that epitomize the PbtA ludosphere. I was actually able to play in a G+ Hangouts game while I was closing up my parents' house at the end of August, a one-shot that ended with my shady astrophysicist activating an experimental hyperdrive and (with the aid of a roll of snake-eyes) killing the entire party in the process. Huzzah! I'm now thinking of how to go about running an <i>UW</i> campaign of my own ... I hope to post more along these lines soon!<br />
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<br />Rob Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791752557408134270noreply@blogger.com4