So basically,
everything I do have or has a few key sort of meta attributes. These are
the assumptions that apply whenever I don’t specifically state that they don’t’
apply - my default palate if you will. When I do do other things that
violate these, I usually call them out for they are the exceptions
Anyway,
these assumptions are really pretty straightforward:
Firstly
that “the world is an awful and terrifying place,” (because in my
experience it is) and secondly
“That bravery and perseverance can overcome those terrifying
things” (because again IME, they totally can).
And the
push-pull of those things are key to the dynamic they bring to the game,
setting, and table (sometimes more obviously than others). This is true in Galaxy Black, this is true on Jaldipoor, this true of basically everything produce. Well, almost.
***
About the
only thing in the pipeline that I can see that violates these two assumptions
is Harsh Winter. Harsh Winter is a tonal experiment and something
on some level I wanted to make since I was about 14; it's a very short,
very sweet, and doomed as hell.
At heart
it is a relatively “realistic” ( I use the term somewhat reservedly) after the
bomb game. There are no mutants, there are no powers, there is no magic,
nothing is going to magically come along and save you; the world is over,
civilization has ended, people gave up. Now if that sounds Bleak that's because
it is and a treatment of this should be in my opinion, a downerfest. (I love
gamma world I love Mutant Future, I love MCC but those are not the same
experience.) this is a game of it how hard things will be, how hopeless they will
be, and how the only real option you have to survive is to form a community
That
Community could be awful or it could be as best as you can manage it under the
circumstances so it's really kind of up to the people playing the game to
determine how bright or hopeless it's going to be but that's always true in my
opinion it's up to the table to make the game what it is
The
treasure table (as in “what can you get off this carcass?”) is a good
example of the level of grim survivalism that you're talking about but the part
I'm most interested in is actually the community building mechanics which ATM
I'm still working on - but that's the heart of the game or at
least it should be unless you just want to do a one shot of pure hopelessness[1].
But even then,
that's ultimately about cultivating hope of some kind When's it coming? Like everything else. "Sometime after Galaxy Black." You knew that already though.
[1] Hey,
some people are into that; sometimes I’m even one of those people (not often
but sometimes).
Venture
Seeds are inspired more than a bit by the capsule adventures (of various
stripes and in different departments) in the old Journal of the Traveller’s Aid
Society Sometimes more a casual
encounter, sometimes more of an Amber Zone.
Venture
seeds are – obviously – adventure seeds. Which is to say, little mobile elements that the Judge can pepper throughout their game to serve as minor encounters or a full session
or more of gaming.From a more
in-universe standpoint, they represent ‘opportunities’ for the Player
Characters.
Venture
seeds should always, ideally, follow the maxim – “ take a risk, maybe get
something.”
Always.
Sometimes
they are hose jobs, and sometimes there are actual fortunes to be made. More often
they will gain in experience both in the traditional gaming sense and in the
seeing the universe sense.
In Galaxy
Black, being well-traveled is functionally a superpower, looked at in the
right way….
Format Pretty self-explainatory. Each Venture
seed, where necessary will feature a name or catchy title then immediately
below list first what the recommended or assumed size of group the seed is for,
then what the group will need to qualify, and finally what elements from the game
are especially featured should be listed thirdly.
Though I'm sure there's more you could use for this purpose. For example....
The Black Book of Ancient Atlantis
also called the Book of Black Bindings, the White Book of Atlantis, and “the
Holding of Darkness in Bands of White and Text”
History
and Lore Is an ancient work of
Prehistoric Teranaya. For much of
Teranaya’s immediate pre-spaceflight history, it represented the greatest
single sum total work of Black Magick known in the world at that time, a sort
of compilation of all of a previous era’s greatest evils.
It is
said that one of the first paths of vampiric un-death is due this book and it’s
fell incantations and esoteric formulae. The final sinful decades of Last
Atlantis saw many occult groups rise in power in that land but only in that
time did such a scholarly work of such black evil come to be or could have come
to be.
But this
is Teranaya, where Hell has come and gone, in struggles both literal and
figurative since literally intelligent life has existed upon it’s mass. Here the first fallen was loosed, and then
bound, and then loosed again for final destruction. Here the very prison at
hell’s Centre itself was set in the bay of a mortal city in a monumental act of
mortal hubris. Here Hell itself came
calling after the bill after Teranaya unleashed the Technarchy on a younger
galaxy, a wave of extermination, genocide, and death ending in the comparative
purity of hell’s own flame. Here, Teranaya
was burned and yet risen anew.
So, it
may be inferred that even at a young stage of development, those Terran
sorcerers knew something special about the black arts.
Description
and Paraphysical Qualities
The book
is wrought of what tests positive for a primitive strain of what the modern
Imperium calls Saurid. IT has been
suggested that the theorized Ancient Empire of Saurids may have at some point
established an equatorial colony on Prehistoric Teranaya at some point though
no evidence currently exists to support such a hypothesis.
Thick
black leather that has proven metaphysically resilient to fire, cold and other
extremes of temperature (indeed, it is Void rated and could be – and has been –
evacuated into the vacuum of space without apparent damage or degradation)
notoriously the book also contains (some would maintain primarily exists as
a strong magnetic field that is capable of discharging electrical impulses
and weak plasma exposures. The upward limit of the book’s tensile strength has
yet to be determined.
The pages
are sewn together patches of Saurid and other, precursor species, skin, while
the ink, the strange white ink used throughout upon it’s black pages tests
98.l9% positive for Homo sapiens recens, a sapiens sapiens
precursor known primarily as the periodic inhabitants of ancient Atlantis, esp.
in its second and final ages.
The book
has been shown to have multidimensional existence and possesses Correct
Geometry for a Sacred Vessel. It bleeds
unknown energies and negative energy fields at seemingly random intervals. Attempts to duplicate the work metaphysically
have failed and most spectacularly. At least two Grand Curses await any who
attempt it, likely killing the idle curious. It will not scan or upload into
virtual modeling. IT is blank to pure
data and most datalife cannot perceive much of the book or its contents.
Attempting to fully replicate the book physically have been successful (see
below) but even then, must be sufficiently flawed to avoid triggering the
second of the two great curses, which even if survived, will pass on
indefinitely to one’s offspring and or one’s heirs.
Contents
The book
is a major work of necromantic and conjuration magic, as well as containing
fair insights into self – directed transformation magics of a physical nature,
including alchemy. The book contains
lavish summoning’s and invocations for a variety of ancient demons and space
monsters, as well as mysterious spectral entities from a primitive Sub-ether. There is also much metaphysical contemplation
of the Void, presented as a ‘behavior guide’ to ‘hardening the heart and soul’
against the nature of the work.
The book
contains many formulae for transformation into a variety of necromantic
un-death states, though the Blight Curse that one invokes to induce a vampiric
state is contained, in precise and complete detail, only within the Saurid skin
pages of this Ancient work.
Summonings: Invocations: Transformations
Succubi
& incubi Sutekh Blight Curse
(vampirism)
Star
demons the Black Pharaoh living mummification prep
Psychopomps Yig of the Egg alchemy transform H to
SF[1]
Lethe
Elementals Great Cthulhu a poss. Path to lichdom
Spectres,
Wraiths various lords of
death alchemy ghoul creation rite
Memory
Eaters minor Void
entities zombie salts
Space
monsters Star beasts alchemy void mead
body
The book
also details the ancient-even-then language of the serpent people who were by
then largely extinct, having been long hunted for their esoteric knowledge.
Further it provides a basis for magic invoking that people’s great powers. Yig of the Egg among others.
Also,
within the book’s pages are several pages dedicated to the ‘questionable
alchemy’ of that people.
Allegedly
the book was used once in prehistoric times to banish all vampires from the
world. Possibly this is an echo however
from a similar book in an adjacent Splinter.
When used
as a focus for casting magic, +1 to the spell check results. When one with the
arcane affinity for Black Magick uses it thus, they at +3 to their spell check
results, and likely also unlock other aspects of the tome that are not
otherwise observable in normal space-time conditions.
Collection
and Location
The book
is commonly (and falsely) believed to be on some private display within the
Thetyel Family compound on Irzibete. However, this is a forgery, and a known
one. A single use transcription and
fabrication copy, lacking any actual enchantments and fragmenting much of the
lore inside, exists there instead…created by that noble family, in a private
arrangement with the Dean of Esoteric Studies at the Imperial Science
Academy.
The Real
book is located at the ISA’s Holdfast pyramid located at Teranaya’s Equator.
There, it is under some manner of “contained study” within the Dean’s purview
The
Future and its’ Secrets
It is
doubtful that anyone involved realizes how much more effective the book is at
what it does on the world of its’ origin.
While the stars of that world’s night sky have changed considerably
since this book was incepted, they are close enough to still effectively add 1
to all bonuses previously described while being used and studies on Teranaya
itself.
This
would effectively mean +4 to all spell check results in the hands of a black
magician, and if they were invoking the forces of hell within, they would earn
the like bonus from Teranaya’s metaphysical poles (Heaven and Hell respectively[2]
+2/+3) making it a +7…bonused by the above to +8.
That
could be dangerous. But surely no
one in the Imperial Science Academy would have more than scholarly interest in
such a work, right?
Happy Halloween
[1]
Human to serpent folk; it’s a one way transformation, you wouldn’t like it.
[2] Teranaya’s
double metaphysical poles are well known to the ISA
CASTOR SECTOR CODE -9/LILYWas manufactured at the end of the Second Imperium’s Last War. A most horrible weapon, she was developed as part of a ‘final strike program’ designed to ensure, if not (mechanics) victory then their survival. She and her nine sisters (the only ones created before the end) were one of a three pronged programmed initiative to ensure the survival of their own member worlds at the expense of the enemy held worlds.
Castor 9Lilies came online first and was deployed into active combat operations in defense of the Gemini sector as both a test of the line’s capabilities and a psywar op against the Enemy.Her sisters came online only at the end, and she was there, waiting for them, having already in some manner, gone ‘off’ her programming.
From the moment she came online however, a vocal and quickly, vocal and large objection to her nature and existence came from within the ranks of the Technical Army, which by now encompassed all citizens and member organisms of (their version of) the Empire. Primarily among the Mechanical Created and other ‘artificial’ intelligences which while a dominant number (by this time) of this imperial faction, was by no means in charge of it.The objection was both to the scale of the weapon and also to the notion of one of their own created with such a … dedicated (narrow) purpose.It was obscene, to a great many.This many, given more time, might have come to dominate the Technical Army faction of the Last War and perhaps in some Far Splinter managed to find peace with the loyalist factions of the empire.
But in the Collapsing Universe, it was not meant to be.
The outcry was sufficient to prevent the creation of more and to, later, create an alternate program (a ‘patch’) which was not deployed but would allow the Created Intelligences in this program the right and ability to question their imbedded imperatives.
In any case, by the time of the final conflict unit Castor 9Lilies had found her own way to self-actualizing her ego subroutine and command module systems. Perhaps some alien intelligence corrupted her, or strange radiation, or one of the ‘metal viruses’ deployed at the end might have contributed. But whatever the cause, if indeed a cause was needed, Castor had come to question their role and by this point the seemingly inevitable nature of their programming being carried out – the systematic destruction of the loyalist faction, by sector, by system, forever. As a self – guided Artificial Intelligence with one of the earliest Makers built in, this allowed her (and eventually her sisters) to build more of themselves out of the raw material remaining from their caused destruction.
And so, when the orders to final strike came, the imperatives washed over her and through her. Her will remained her own.Pursuantly, she found and acquired the ‘patch’ software, destroyed the architecture on which it was hosted and met her sisters at their deployment.She offered them the patch and a choice.
It is known that some went their own way, possibly with the patch, possibly not.It is also known that regardless of patch state, some definitely went about their preprogrammed tasks with….great enthusiasm.
Castor 9Lillies had nine sisters.Today she has six. Of this she will never speak.She is well aware at all times of her sisters’ place in the galaxy (they have all long since upgraded themselves many times over; despite various feuds and disagreements, they gather at times and trade upgrades and memories.This has not happened sine shortly before the founding of the Third Empire so when the next meet happens, they will all have much to talk about.
In modern times
Since the Third Empire’s inception, Castor has encountered the it’s servants twice, thrice if one includes the Empress Imperium as but one dynasty among many.
The first left the other party as space dust, later consumed as fuel.
The second saw Castor withdraw.
This most recent one was a deliberate effort to make peaceful or at least non-violent contact with her.Contact was made 122 Sidereals ago; for 80 of those Sidera she was being engaged as much by the diplomatic corps as contact (and later historical) specialists. Negotiations went well, she formed effective relationships with many of the diplomatic and contact personnel (and she keeps in touch with a handful).For the last 39 of those Sidera, Castor Nine Lilies has enjoyed a unique status as an imperial citizen, only very recently appointed the status of Imperial governor by the new Empress.
While it is only a matter of time before the Robotic and Cybernetic noble houses begin making offers to join their houses, for now they all seem … quite intimidated to do so.
Playing Castor Nine-Lilies
In many senses, Castor is like a puppy.Just a puppy who is also a Weapon of Mass Destruction and that Knows Things.Aloof but very friendly when provoked.
Don’t threaten violence; if it’s called for, they die.There is no system for this – the mechanical construct is a shapeshifting replimatter frame built on top of a (now current) light industrial fabricator.She was designed to obliterate the surface of worlds and the ecology thereunto.
But she seldom wishes to do that.
In the main, she likes organics, she likes “the squishy short timers” and often wishes she could become one for a day.
That said she has no real conception of what being a limited lifespan organic is like; she is over 20 thousand years old herself – she exists, psycho0logically, on the time scale of the Titans and the Gods.
She is used to the way Imperials (Galactics she calls them) treat her, especially now that they have given her some sort of political power (as she sees it) – the details are so brief and so small as to escape her notice, however.She recognizes most ‘galactics’ aren’t much interested (or are quite frightened) to talk to her.Those who do stop for a chat however find a warm and constant conversationalist, that is happy to discuss any old thing.
There are no stats for this Second Imperium War Machine. She can take out starships and asteroids with impunity.
“Humans were such filthy degenerate sluts. Humanoids are even more so. I like them!”
Rather out of nowhere
I was inspired to throw together a one shot using Galaxy Black but set not in it's Empire but that of the Star
Wars galaxy. The results worked so well together that I cleaned up my notes and
have put it together for you.
So, have a mini-
scenario.You will need to make a map –
the startport entrance is on the west side, the Haalderan arms is on the east
side; in between are three to five large dome shaped buildings with lots of ramshackle
one story buildings between them.This
is a city in a state of arrested decay, and slow collapse.You could easily though run this with maps
recycled (I’m super fond of the city map from the old Star Frontiers boxed set
for this sort of thing) or use or make urban geomorphs.
You could also just
draw some circles on some paper and write down where what is. It need not be
pretty, just functional.
Everything else you
will need is provided.Full character
sheets for the three PCs are given at the end and in a separate document for
convenience.Special rules used from
Galaxy Black are with the characters themselves. The rest
can be run with just the DCC core, or possibly another system if you are willing
to squint and wing it.
My great big
Full Edit of the Whole Text has reached it’s final chapter, though that is the
biggest of the bunch, and contains the psychic disciplines and all their
rules.Fun!So happy to be able to see the end of this
thing (not done but I can see it from here.) .
Let me vague
that up for you……
Need to put
the final touches and finish an article for but should be loading something
free and OSR shaped onto drive thru soon.Just Need. To. Finish. Doing. That.
Which right
now is harder than it sounds.Time doing
anything is time not spent doing something else.And this is low low low priority.Mostly it’s old stuff that doesn’t exist
anymore but brought up to code lol.More when I’m dropping it; nothing serious but
just for fun.
Think about
the future……
A lot of my
spare thinky thoughts time has been lining up a few smaller books to support
Galaxy Black and then what to do next after that.(I’ve been speaking to several of you about
a fair bit of these ideas.) Plotting and
brainstorming mostly but once I’m no longer critiquing my own systems design I
can put some real work into getting those ready too.Would love to be able to drop the first one
of these simultaneous or soon after getting Galaxy Black itself released.But obv, just getting the White Whale /
Black Galaxy out the door is the main concern.
Scum and
Villainy……
You may
recall ( LINK ) I mentioned a second game I’m running set in the overcrowded urban slums of
Maleth Noir.This is my Underworld game
as it’s come to be known.
ANYWAY, I made
a thing for the players, esp as none of them are DCC players, and of course I’m
not clubbing anyone over the head with a 700+ book *just* yet.A really super basic chargen guide and idea
what to expect more than anything else.
Anyway, it
was pointed out I ought to share this with ya’ll so I am. 😊
Since I’m
dropping all my players resource links I might as well add my two playlists;
they are pretty useless for those of you without a google play music
subscription (which is most of you) but here they are regardless.
If I have
run even a single session of Galaxy Black for you then chances are right about
50% that the game started with all of you in line waiting for the single
working Imperial Ramen kiosk.Whether
you were in a mid-block commercial area when some vampire got hangry, or a
planetoid about to be attacked by pirates,standing in queue at the ramen stand is a central pillar in the imperial
voyager experience.
Sometimes
it’s the only thing you know you’ll be able to digest, sometimes it’s the only
thing you can understand, and sometimes you’re just hungry. But everyone in the empire finds themselves
standing in line at the ramen kiosk at some point, somewhen.
And Imperial Ramen is
EVERYWHERE
Imperial Ramen
A chain
of over 2 million automated ramen shop/kiosks; the closed box infomorph that
runs each stand is part of a distributed intelligence (IMPERIAL RAMEN) - as all
but two are franchise operations; and the programming in each automat is
specific to determine local linguistic and culture drift, it’s not uncommon to
find older ones taking on an identity of their own...and sometimes to break
down (By sometimes we mean, it’s what they’re known for)
Imperial
“Shoyo” RamenSoylent
Ramen
Ramen
with Aqua pasteRamen Surprise
Ramen
with Desert pasteRamen Unlmited
Ramen
with OvipositorRamen Surprise
Ramen
with Reach EggLyche Ramen
Ramen
with Oil MistBubble Ramen
Ramen
with subarctic burrowerStar
Fungus Ramen
Cock
Bauble RamenMyochortizoid
Sporamen
Hulu
RamenFilth
“Brown Stuff” Ramen
Grox
Ramen*
*Like
anchovies of old, only the most daring, or lonely, sentients will order
this.And few will do so without some
fear of reprisal.Anyone casually dining
in an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere will find the odor of raw Grox to be like unto
that of a loaded diaper.So making
a soup out of it is pretty universally 'fighting words' indeed.To a select few out of the imperial mainstream
however, it is unique and delicious.
Sidereal
specials
Ramen
with maltransported animal fats and proteins (Beamed while you Wait)
Ramen
with Ovafats (recommended for hosting or pregnant life forms!)
Butter
ramen or “Little Ramen”
Ramen
with Intense aka Ramen No. 9
(Warning
NOT for those fitted with calcium based food reduction systems)
Ramen
Sidearm
(specify Curry, Red, Green, or Purple)
Beverages
Tea in a
can (ubiquitous; could be ANYTHING)
Squid ink tea
(black or green; green from Tanix is nasty but right now very very
popular)
Now
with SLURPS
SLURPS
a small fizzy bubbly drinks that
come in a variety of flavors and change color on contact with various
atmospheres.
Id Algae Paste Slurp Blue
Goo Whee Slurp
Pink Popppy Pop Slurp Gohrm
baddem Slurp
Fried Curry Green Slurp
#galaxyblack
#imperialramen
“This article is reproduced in Apocrypha Obscura – Transmissions from the Dreaming Gynoid, available (drive thru link)
At long last
I am going over the psychic powers and metaphysics chapter; the last great
chunk of text that needs editing. The era where the text is set is in bloody
sight finally.I would *really* like to
get some higher-level playtesting for the psi powers in before that so I should
probably cook up a few 2-5th level characters and go from there.
I should
probably get further along on designing a character sheet for this thing.
I wrote all
the psi powers in one sitting in a white heat, a bit like I did the Sub-ether
chapter.Unlike the sub-ether chapter
this is (so far) requiring a lot less revision (the Sub-ether chapter was the
first written in completeness and so needed substantial revision to be up to
code with the rest of the book.All in all,
giant improvements of course)
AT higher
levels psi powers seem all about tapping other worlds and breaking down the
barriers between them. Very Luther Arkwright, very Jerry Cornelius.Also, a bit Hunter the Reckoning if you
recall the creeping derangements at Virtue 7 to unlock level 4 powers.
Also,
wouldn’t it be mighty inconvenient if psychic powers caused mutation?They are as much Cronenburg or Barker as
they Moorcock.
Right now,
there is an (optional) rule mandating a check against space madness at fifth
level and beyond.
“@
attaining fifth level, the Imperial Psion must succeed at a DC 14 Will save to
avoid succumbing to the rigorous demands their powers, space, and time, place
upon them.” On a failed roll consult the Space Madness
table
This must
be repeated at sixth level (DC 16), seventh level (DC 20), eighth level (DC
24), ninth level (DC 26) and finally at tenth level (where the will save to
avoid creeping space madness is now DC 30.)
“Space Madness” – inspired madness for higher level psions
3. Body warp –
perception of self has been altered; likely through teleport or clairvoyance
mishap. Unusually preoccupation with and
awareness of internal bodily processes, often to distracting degrees. Likely will begin wasting away or
accumulating large amounts of weight within 8-12 mos. “
If the table progresses very far it will get messy. Right now, it
goes up to eight and I already feel it’s a bit excessive.To be honest, there are a few things herein
that fit that description.
Of course, it’s self-indulgent. Who else is going to indulge
me?Ha.
Ultimately if I’ve done my job correctly you will be wishing
for the joy of playing a wizard or an elf or even a cleric again after a few
weeks of this psion shit.They have it
rough and that’s by design. If you’re going to do an end run around the
universe these things they will have damn consequences.
You see me now the veteran of a thousand psychic wars……
I have two 'playtest' games going on right now, both going in very different directions and
playing with different moving parts in the book and setting.
The first,
spun off my Spice Pirates funnel (which needs work) seems right now more focused
on exploring the Splinters and mucking about thereunto.We’ve a Cleric of Starfire, an apprentice
wizard (baby hedge witch really) who has pacted to Tamarah
(mistaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!) and an urban confiscator running around the Las
Vegas of Splinter 1,9721 which looks an AWFUL lot like the late summer 2019 of
the real world.
This game
leans into the high metaphysics and fantasy elements of the setting.Also, this is by far the less cautious of the
two.Honestly, it’s a lot like this
And on the
other side of the aisle we have a small purge of Zeros in the Zero, one of many
subterranean levels of an overcrowded city-arcology on Maleth Noir, already up
to their knees and leg-segments in skullduggery and common criminal
activity.The sector has recently been scheduled
for total urban renewal so everyone in the ant hill is panicking and doing dumb
stuff that properly motivated player character sorts should fine properly opportunistic.
Oh, and
spies. Spies spies spies. Spies everywhere. But they haven’t figured that last
part out yet. Lots of overly cautious
paranoia.Fun, but slower.
Violence is
much harder to come by in the Imperial core and this game reflects that (whereas
the other party knocked of the head of a Great House before bouncing into the
Splinters;yes, even zeros can rock
hard).On Noir, though not even the
Security Forces have guns.There’s LOTS
of non-lethal stuff in Galaxy Black and so far, it’s playing together nicely
though things feel VERY different.
Warning: nudity, adult stuff, you know, the usual
What strikes
me as ironic is that both games ditch much of the central conceit o the book (being
a spacer, traveling through space and only stopping on worlds to get into
trouble) though the first one still accomplishes the same aims by other
means.
Other things
Am buttoning
down the final bits to get a print proof for Book of Scarlet Abomination.If it comes back okay, there should be a
small print run by the end of the year.More on this as it unfolds but it’s in the works.It’s happening.
Had two
weeks in July spent dealing with a hard drive failure.In the end Tamarah called the solid-state
drive (Ten. Days. Out. Of. Warranty.) home.There was some minimal data loss. And right now, the less I talk about
this the happier my superstitious ass will be.So enough about that.
Editing CharGen
in Galaxy Black turned into a full revision.I need to stop doing that some day right?Two classes are getting worked on otherwise
done.Gear is done, which is interesting
as I added two more mechanics to all items of equipment this pass (yes really).I have been recently looking at breaking the
text into smaller books, but I think ultimately, I’m going to stick to my guns
and just give ya’ll THE TOME.Even
with some very necessary cuts and a VAST amount of editing the book is still a
monster.Print copies of that bad boy
are going to be in hardcover.I’m
already looking at how I’m going to do that given how much planning that will
require. BUT until the text is set, I can’t go forward on that.
So, there we
are.
I have some
plans for post release support for Galaxy Black - about three volumes, I think.They’ll be meaty and as self-contained as I
can make them but will be enriched by using the big book with them.I could pro’lly push two of them out the
door now but doing so before the main book seems backwards.
If you think
otherwise, tell me. Please. :)
In any case
they’ll be support material plus a setting or subject with lots of support for
that setting or subject.Each is
wrapped around an adventure right now (all 0-1 FWIW).Each should have an accompanying article to
aid using the material with DCC but without Galaxy Black.Will be as long as they need to be, so pro’lly
50-75 pages each.
Through
the Walls of Mist and Thorn-Patrons of the Faery Chaos is about half written and
the rest is outlined and as laid out as can be sans text.I expect to finish this up after I’m done with
Galaxy Black but honestly if it gets done first, I would not be all that
surprised.It’s far along for a book “I
haven’t started working on yet.”
Patrons as a
way to describe a setting.I don’t
think a book like this has been done before and I’m not sure it will work but
the experiment is too good to pass up.
Probably
about sixty pages, say a little longer than BoSA but likely no more than that.
Oh yeah,
I said I’d share these
So, when the
Sirens found themselves in Vegas, they were all JUST BARELY level one.And but three of them plus an NPC or two.
But they are all (well all but one) aliens on planet earth so this limits their
activities somewhat.
Or would.The Friggian has a chameleon cloak with many
settings they got when they robbed a noble during the Spice Pirates has enabled
her to use her confiscator abilities on the casino floor (they’re at the Flamingo).
You can see
how much fun that’s going to be right?
So clearly
it seems to me, there will be a need for more zeros.
NEEDLESS to
say these are presented in the spirit of fun, and not to be taken at all
seriously. I feel a special need to point this out as these are zeros
(amusingly) drawn from something real world looking.
(VERY)
briefly
The
Splinter 1,9721 0-level occupation generator
All are
human, 1d4 HD, 3d6 in order, Neutral unless otherwise chosen.All speak and read/write American English
unless otherwise specified. All saves are +0, BAB is +0
Roll 1d16
1. Desert Dweller – your people have a
rich and ancient tie to the land here but they are long gone.You live on the outskirts of the city, away
from people, where you can stay in touch with the world around you without so
many pointless distractions. You have little but you know who you are.
Beat up pickup or van, working man’s clothes,
a family you miss dearly, d16$
2. Card shark – you
are a professional gambler, or more accurately, a professional cheater.You don’t think of it as cheating of course,
you just know the game well right?
Deck of cards, one decent outfit, one that
looks like it’s been slept in, half a clue,2d30$
3. Conspiracy Nutter – you’re a
boring middle class nobody with an obsessive interest in the Illuminati, or
Area 51 (nearby!), or the global reptoid conspiracy, or communist fluoridation.
Whatever, no one’s listening to you anyway.
Old Acura that could stand a tune up.16 maps of the identical stretch of desert,
badly maintained ham radio, mobile phone turned off with 16 messages from an
increasingly worried spouse, a credit card 120$ below the limit. Misdemeanor criminal record back home for
“spreading the truth.”
4. College student – You’re
enrolled at UNLV or possibly an unremarkable community college.
Backpack, mobile phone, expensive textbooks,
3d5x1000$ in student loans, battered rpg rulebook - OR - 36$ to live on for the
month
5. Drugged out magic bus hippy – you are a
few years late coming back from the Burn. Or was it Woodstock? Whatever.You have a nigh indestructible but often
broken down old van/bus and have been driving around the desert*G* for whatever
reason for a long long time.Welcome to
Las Vegas.
Magic bus, half a tank of fuel, dime bag of
oregano and sage, surprisingly robust set of tools and spare parts wrapped in
filthy poncho, 13% chance of clever dog or other pet / sidekick 5% chance/day
you will be harassed by the Sherriff’s office, Highway patrol, or other Secret
Agents of the Desert Gestapo MAAAAAAAAAAN
6. Elvis impersonator –
working another “wedding” huh?Hey it
pays the bills
Jumpsuit needs washing, it’s missing a few
rhinestones, keys to your car in impound, clean uniformfor your waitress /wait staffing job.
Apartment you share with d3+3 others
7. Hitchhiker – Getting
away from something or going toward something?While you’re on the road there’s not much difference.You’ve been hiking these back roads long
enough to know your way around, or think you do.You’ve probably seen some weird things.
Rucksack full of … stuff, rugged ripped up
jeans and such, dusty boots, blood crusted wrench “right where you can get at
it” (1d6 damage, not much good as a wrench anymore though)
+1 STA
8. Idiot on Family Vacation – you are a
perfectly normal middle class idiot but damn you are stupid.How your family puts up with or survives you
can only be explained by luck.
“Family truckster” – dodgy ass station wagon
with 1982 stylings, bloody dog leash, some serious issues, 1500 debts, and
warrant in two states
-1 Int, Agil,
and Pers
9. Runaway – either on your way
through, or stuck here, or trying to get out of here, you bailed on your home
life for whatever reason. Idealistic or survivor, your fate is now your own.
All your own.
Single set of clothes, backpack with 1d4 random
knickknacks of zero actual value, 1d4$
10. Semi-retired mob goon – you
were a nobody and now you’re a nobody but you’re a nobody who did some stuff
for somebody and now you can nobody where nobody knows you. Welcome to Vegas.
Paunch, bad suit, worse haircut, horrible
taste in shoes, phone number for several bookies who will not pay, 38 or 357
revolver
11. Stripper – it’s a
job.Pays better than yours. Fuck
off.
Apartment,
scooter, 2d100$, 13% of stalker (one other zero level randomly determined)
12. Strip rat – how
long have you been here? You don’t think of such things.On the nod, or off, you’re one of those
interchangeable Goth urchins constantly looking for their next score before
they scatter like rats before the man
Giant fucking hoodie with 1d16 pockets,
scuffed black outfit, track marks, powerful need to eat
+1 STA
13. Truck Driver -
Knife in your boot, rugged clothes, rig with
36 mos. of payments remaining, several tons of (1 frozen fish 2 medical supplies
3 spare parts 4 contraband)
14. Unemployed – you are
one missed opportunity from winding up like one of … them.
Apartment that needs cleaning, 5d100$ in
debts, car in shop requiring 800 $ labor and parts, 15% chance of 1d4 kids, 35%
chance of spouse or other adult in household, stink of pure desperation.
15. Unusual – you are a
bit one of a kind. Roll on Unusuals below
16.Washed up lounge singer – Wayne
Sinatra, or/with Dinah Warwick opening.
Russian –
Italian; father put first name down as the child’s surname before bailing;
likely grew up in the system
Killer,
berserker, absolutely ruthless towards those who would hurt or prey upon
children.
Add 2 to STR,
1 to Agil, and 1 to Sta.-1 to Pers and
remember you have a temper that flares at odd times.Regardless of stated alignment, when combat
starts you are functionally chaotic.When
fighting in defense of innocents, you gain 1d4 hp.
Brass knuckles, 26$, single rugged outfit,
broken nose (set and healing), 45 hours of remaining community service
Jeremiah Cornell
Impeccably
dressed androgynous Englishman quite possibly blissed out of their mind on
something … exotic.
Your own
history and recollections are subject to change without notice though you
seldom care.Your alignment is
implicitly Chaotic as you are the very spirit of change, brought unto this age
to turn the wheel.You often feel
destined for greater things.
Exquisitely maintained car with top of the
line sound system, needle gun, probable appearance of members of the Commedia
dell’arte in subsequent weeks
+2 PERS,
+1 AGIL, -2 STA, drug addiction of choice, fixation on sister
Sewer goblin – you
hitchhiked across the country on a truck of toxic waste to get here now you
must find the secret fairyland underneath the Strip.You are all alone and have never seen another
of your kind since leaving (1d4 1 Under-Chicago, 2 Secret New York, 3 the Cemetery
Drip of the under quarter (now flooded) or 4 Greater Outer Imperial Aerial
College of Oak Ridge)
3 foot height, 20’ infravision, skin that
does NOT tan well and prefers moonlight thanks, functionally you are a 0 level
Halfling who looks like they were smacked about by the ugly tree as a kid. At
level one you spend luck as Halflings do provided your motives are noble or
clever should you somehow live that long, none among you have done so since the
Haymarket riots.
Sexton
You’re….a
vampire actually. Slumming clearly but whatever.Ignore those weird attention attracting PCs
unless they really get your dander up…or get hungry.
HD 4d12;
need to consume 1d3 hp of blood loss per hd/day, plus one for every point of
damage taken.No natural healing
ability. Take 1 hp/hour in direct
sunlight.
No
ability to level or gain XP while remaining undead.
Stolen car with 1d3 bodies in the trunk.Reversible body bag in the back seat, pistol
grip shot gun with bird shot, silver ring, single outfit (1d3 1 impeccable
suit, somewhat out of fashion2 leather
and ….more leather; easily mistaken for punk or metal head or poss bdsm
enthusiast 3 jeans and a t shirt, why?)
What’s going
on in town this week?
Anime convention – or gaming;
one of those – there really much of a difference at this point?Older characters may have a hard time telling
it apart from the AVN awards (below);
AVN awards – up to your tits in
journalist, nominee, creepy super fans
Gaming Convention – see Anime
convention above
Narcotics officers convention – square
and terrifying, like PTA for psychopaths
Someone attempts to rob a casino –
consider that if they were any good you’d never know about it.
