Designer’s
Notes: A funny thing happened on the way
to the Shaolin monastery
The three electronauts meet in secret but
no longer in privacy = one among them, the last to arrive, does so astride a
majestic robotic flying horse that squawks, plays music and seemingly farts
glitter and rainbows; the mage themself
has a shaved head and an elaborate tracery pattern inked into his skull
These are members of the electric
college. They seem quaint and somewhat
hard to believe, but they are in fact quite successful illusionists who use a
fusion of cybernetics, technology, psychology, neural hacks, and actual
illusion magic to foster a sense of wonder in the mundanes around them. (This
is their stated purpose and calling – the kindling of wonder)
So understand their larger than life
personas are quite intentional and very deliberate. It is part and parcel of
their calling as much as it is a badge and manifestation of their Art.
They are one of the greatest forces for
good within the Imperium today.
Galaxy Black II Magic, metaphysics, and psychic powers should be out by the time you see this. While it incorporates several new spells and
magical traditions (as above) the major thrust of the work is the introduction
of a variant magic system for psychic powers in DCC (two of them actually, one
plays nicer with DCC as written)
Several
of the disciplines in Galaxy Black have a scattering of details given
for the monastery where it is easiest to learn such a thing. Why was this done? Several fold. The credo of DCC is Quest For It and in the
Collapsing Universe it is no different.
I envision most starting and low level psions, in-character having a
list of places they would like to go and train, rather like the characters in a
martial arts film. But like everything else in the game it’s a
story hook, a neat thing to dangle in front of the PCs or Always keep them
moving. Like any destination in galaxy
black there are bound to be complications on arrival – some worlds may regard
their disciplines as ancient cultural practices and expect you – and those with
you – to demonstrate courage (or whatever they value on that planet), others
will be literal monasteries and you may be waiting at the foot of the mountain
before they have room for you or find you worthy. Some may be more like universities or secret
training academies a la Traveller’s Psionics Institutes. No two should really be much alike save for
advocating the practice of one or more psychic disciplines. Part of the flavor of the psychic material in
Galaxy Black is a deliberate callback to old Shaw Brothers films, modern Wuxia,
and everything in between.
The
assumed default “voyaging” style of game play that I think most people will
take to works best when you have a destination in mind and don’t’ mind the time
it takes to get there. And it may take some time……
Remember in Galaxy Black, every voyage should be long and weird,
and often an adventure unto itself. The
destination will always have unforeseen complications. Often very awkward or
unpleasant ones. Travel between the
stars is fraught with peril and not for the timid. Each voyage should be memorable for some reason. Each destination even more so. No one should
ever think of a world they have visited as simply a stream of numbers and
letters in an index somewhere. They
should befuddle, amuse, frustrate, and challenge. Always,
Some good examples extrapolated from actual play
“The trip from High Arcturus to Goth, where half the crew died,
and we had to journey into the underworld to get their souls back…while in
transit. I remember that. My confiscator has to eat a non-replicated pomegranate
once a year or they will rot from the inside.
But I don’t show up on life sensors now if I don’t want to.”
Or
“Yasmin? That’s the planet that turned everyone permanently yellow
right?“
“The apparent luster of semi-pearlescent amber jade.”
“So yeah yellow….”
“I guess that was the favorite colour of the High Patriarch
when they ripped us apart atom by atom and rebuilt us to “cure us of
infection.” But yes to summarize, yes we
all got turned an identical shade of bright yellow. Inside and out.”
"If you can't take a little bloody
nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe
out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and
gross. But it's not for the timid."
-
Q
