Asskickers of the Universe for SWN/Other Dust

I guess my French Canadian comrade in fatherness +Vincent Quigley is ramping up for the certain Marvel thing which I will not name but anyways it's called Guardians of the Galaxy and I'm sure Marvel doesn't mind free press and excitement.  He's got a (kind of exciting) plan to run some space-games.  Strange, I'm doing space games lately and there's Crawljammer and CUaBM and certain appeal for high space adventure.

These characters may or may not ever get used in play, but they were fun to think of, especially when Jo the Synthoid was falling through space forever, handy Vacuum Shield out front and towing Sexynth Stasis Capsules full of lurid fungoid and elfin life-forms behind him, pondering the nature of the soul, free will, and where to find his load of garbage and complete his Special Purpose.

Used without Daniel Fairbairn's permission, but maybe I can get a shirt on payday to make up for it.

Here you go, my Asskickers of the Universe:

 

#AssKickersoftheUniverse 

Aarona Vesk, Leader of the Myconite Diaspora and 3rd Prophet of the Fungomid Empire

Str 13,Int 7,Wis 13,Dex 10,Con 8,Cha 16
Speaker, Hermit, Prophet
2 Logic Grenades, Vaac Suit

Her low Int and high Charisma often bring on trouble - comely and an excellent public speaker but generally dim and uncreative after a life of sybaritic luxury.  Thanks to her amorphous fungoid composition (roughly in the alluring bipedal shape that is recognized as "attractive" in this arm of the Galazy), Aarona is endowed with QUICK HEALING and can subsist on oxygen and sunlight.  Her lurid mauve color changes to a nasty streaked red when she is angry or pouting.  A little bit of a stereotype, but her powers of persuasion are unmistakable, and she may grow to command hordes of sentient life if not dissuaded from this disastrous course.

Lord Nimble Nels, Elfin Psychic Researcher of Aereth483

Psychic (Telepathy), Noble, Psychic Researcher
Str 7, Int 13, Wis 14, Dex 13, Con 12, Cha 12

Berserk drugs, Spook drugs, Mindblade (not yet activated)

Nels accompanies Vesk everywhere she goes, and believes himself to be her social equal owing to dubious royal lineage and "magickal" abilities.  He has a crude robotic third arm, a holdout cavity in his chest where a heart would be (pumping made up for by many smaller distributed liquid micromotors), and a strange and mostly inert precursor artefact, the Krovarion Blade (actually a mindblade that Nels cannot yet fully utilise).  He often uses mind-numbing drugs to quell his painfully powerful EMPATHY, and it may be these he stows in his empty heart-space.  He may be attracted to Vesk because of her physical charms, her spritely optimism, or some combination of self-defeatism and psychic residue.  A bit of a fop.

Jo Sugru, Trash Scow Operating Synthoid Lifeform

Survivor, Transport Specialist (Trash Scow), "Man" With No Name

Str 15, Int 13, Wis 11, Dex 9, Con 14, Cha 8

Combat/Assault Shield.  Pummeling pipe (improvised)

Actually the most capable of the trio, Jo (a playful nickname bestowed by Nels) is regarded by the other self-absorbed two as something of a pet.  He is an artificially created life-form, pliant and agreeable, totally immune to the cold and void of space, and able to work his will on machines that he can touch.  He identifies as a he.  Since he was spit out by a fabrication unit to collect space junk and return it to the factory that made him, he has had no end of trouble brought upon him by Nels and Vesk, who crashed into his collecting scow and diverted its course to the nearby Ughilline system, thereby bringing about the Dorpsillon Incident and requiring the psychic decontamination of an entire population of (usually complacent) protein squibs.  That said, he generally does his best to protect his erstwhile friends, even going so far as to tow them through space in stasis orbs for a thousand Earth years, his Arc Shield foremost to protect from superfast particles and debris.

These three are wanted in the nearby galaxy of Urghilline IV, since Nels' "acquisition" of the Krovarion Blade could actually prompt Vesk's rise to the throne in that system by virtue of a long-lost prophecy which neither are aware of (Jo is aware of it but the subject has not yet come up).  They are hunted by the hideous Black Gargoyles of Leptron 4, treacherous minions of the Cult of Nebrovolent of Ixia who will do all they can to recover the precursor telepath blade

Anyways, I'm off for bed.  Jo's hat says "Keep On Truckin'"

the Clockwork Head of Genbo Gashodokuro

(Entry into Joey Lindsey's nefarious contest, or not, if the time is up)

The souls of all naughty children go to the bottom of the well.  Yes, all of them.

It came to pass that in the Village of ____ a villainous man, said to be a sorcerer, confined his soul and evil intent in a finely crafted clockwork skull and buried himself away next to a shrine of his foul God N____.  This was in the Age of Heroes. One day a well was sunk in my grandda's time and the water there was found to be sour and unhealthy.  Many children in the village went missing but it were said they could be heard cavorting at the bottom of the well, dancing and giggling, and the rattling of a baby's rattle also (although it was said only older children disappeared)...

The augurs said it were ill and the fishing dried up anyhow, so the village has fallen into hard hard times and only the most thirsty and unwise go there in the light of the moon.

1) the trail from the village leads to a miserable clearing with sick looking crickets by day, and twisted willows and scrawny elms at night. By the light of the moon, a fog rises and the characters are in danger of having Gen-bo the Gashodokoro himself arise to bite their heads off playfully and without warning (any random encounter roll in this area will be Gen-bo automatically).

2) the well is slimy and foul smelling and rarely used even in emergency - the rotten rope may break in a bad moment

3) the Clockwork Head and the Children - the Clockwork head glitters in the moonlight and cannot be found during the day. If it is picked up, the children will rise and begin to dance in the light from above, headless...

...If given the head, one child-spirit will wind it and tell a plaintive tale and ask to be taken and laid to rest:

Piggy is hungry and will beg for food and - only in the full light of the moon, and above ground - attempt to nibble on the PC that carried him up the rope unless given sweets (rations will only awaken his appetite and not put it down)

Polly/Molly loves to dance - she will dance a little jig and whisper sweet nothings in the PC's ear as they climb. Any tickled characters must dance unless they save vs reflex/will

Rocko loves to fight and will grapple and choke a character that saves him before collapsing in a pile of bones and sawdust.  He gives noogies if grappling for 2 damage per round, and a Fortitude save will break the hold

There is only one head, and only one child can be saved at a time. After the first is saved, the head will stay behind while the spirit of the child goes to the 7th nirvana for reincarnation. The body will vanish with chilling laughter and crickets or shuddering of elms and fireflies.  The other remaining children will wander down into the lower rooms at random.

...Of course Gen-bo will come to claim his head if/when all three are rescued, with the chance equal to twice the number of kids already saved on a d6.

The statue of Nebrovolent presides over the resting place of Gen-bo, moudlering and headless. A winding key is found clutched in his nasty desiccated hands. If the body is disturbed in any way, The Hungry Giant Skeleton Ghost of Gen-bo comes to bite off someone's head and reprimand them sternly. After the first child is saved, the head must be rewound for the children to talk or cooperate further.  Else, they will gesture and tickle or dance or grapple as described.

Molly/Polly always has a winder on her person, for she was Gen-bo's assistant in life and a spiteful little orphan at that. She may have been the bastard daughter of the village priestess and the handsome water nymph in the stream north of the village.

The Rattling Guardian is a pile of bones and assorted trash.  An elf or dwarf can find or spot its carnelian eyes (worth 100 Lunar) before it rises up, or after a battle is over. It rattles so disconcertingly that turning attempts and spells with verbal components may not be cast unless the caster makes a DC 15 Will save or the equivalent. Snakelike and quick, its bite causes melancholy and an increase in melancholic humors.  Rocko and the Rattler are mates and will cavort and laugh together. The rattle is an actual baby's rattle but searching through the pile reveals only adult bones.

If Gen-bo is put down with finality i.e. all three children are taken rescued/saved and further the body of Genbo is blessed, buried in consecrated ground or burned, the head will thereafter sing a Lotus Sutra when wound that will cure maladies 3 times.  It can be smashed to get the jewels out of the eye sockets, but if this happens they willbe revealed to be glass.  If his spirit is not laid to rest, he will visit the characters nightly and say a lewd joke and try to bite off their heads, the target decided at random.  If a character has the head in his or her possession, that character is the target of the joke and the playful bite.

A Mere Pen-Stroke (a list of plans, short term goals, whathaveyou)

I have to sleep tonight, to sleep and dream of greasy, ravenous, treacherous bandit leaders that may or may not be were-animals, and also an encounter with an interdimensional critter trapped in a field of churning magical energy and desperate to get home

These two encounters and the various choices attached to them are all that I require to finish my thing, at least the text part of it.  I guess I can submit the whole to GG maybe this week once I've put it down and edited it and kicked it around the yard some.

The art is going smoothly and some pieces await scanning and sizing to the right dimensions, but I am now (as they say sometimes) in the home stretch.  Being able to do some stuff digitally is a godsend

Gotta review the guidelines for submission to RPGNow for digital version (8.5 x 11) - remind me to figure out how to use the entry numbers as bookmarks in the PDF

Also, the 6x9 format of the printed book will be fun, I hope

To make up space in the front I think I will probably foist up a map up Thrend, where the action of the thing takes place in my own little DCC campaigns

The map of the adventure will go in the standard Judge/Party version of the thing, since now the whole of Halthrag Keep, the Weeping Woods around it, and the nearby minor city of Marbourg lives in my mind's eye as completely as any real place I've been.

Maybe I will release the bestiary soon as a freebie for DCC.  Hmm.

After I finish this beast, I will turn back to the PC classes that were suggested.  Jurgen's sun-worshipping lizard beasts will likely be first.  After that, the occupational list/funnel thing for SPACE DUNGEON

Hopefully, I will be moved across the state at that point and I'll be too busy to do anything relaxed by that point but when I settle in I'll be back into Hangout gaming again.  The lesson I've learned is never ever again to underestimate the work put into a self-published thing, even a small one.

Space Dungeon Living Document

An idea I am kicking around for a Dungeon oriented thing set in space where it can move to and fro from Space Hulk style wrecks to stone work to mines, with Low Gravity and all kinds of oddball traps and strange races. Jungle domes and temples to Precursor space races

The surface of the planetoid is littered with sentient habitant domes, some active and some discarded - many races abound. There are also Old Ones, mining shafts, some indigenous populations, weird energies, Space Tombs, human and alien settlements underground plagued by gangs (a la Necromunda), and precursor technology laying around down deep.

A free for all of races and classes, set in the dim interiors or with parties docking and diving and bringing out hauls of goods and loot

More later but I wanted it influenced by 1st edition Rogue Trader and Star Frontiers rather than the OSR stuff. More M.U.L.E. and Pirates! than Carcosa (good natured etc)

Handy use of Crawljammer and etc.  a hex crawl in 3 dimensions with some simple rules to generate the layout and tone, with very low guidance but just kind of THEMES

All races are welcome and weird back stories encouraged but not needed for play. Parties sink shafts into the core and delve, then bring resources back to purchase star docks, restaurants and establishments to establish races

Like a Gold Rush in space, powered by DCC.  A SPPPPPPPACE DUNGEONNNNNNNN

"Warning: 

Entering and exploring the catacomb mines of Nebulmor presents dangers that the sole possession of a plan cannot prevent. Those dangers can prove lethal because of precursor artifacts, pits, falling objects, collapses, and warp incursions.  These hazards and the presence of certain biological entities may leave a very strong impression on the young, mentally infirm, or parasitic co-habitants of level 3B and below.

By entering the catacomb mines, you inevitably risk injuring yourself, possibly experiencing severe complications due to the inaccessibility of rescue officials.  Intervention teams are generally unavailable in high-volume access periods and on official Nebulmorean holidays.  The indigenous people of this planet assume no liability for any risks or injurious consequences that you assume by signing an entry waiver and/or continuing into the Green Zone.

These catacombs are also part of the underground heritage of Nebulmor.  They are a fragile place and contain a high number of historical and geological remnants as well as ancient indications that deserve respect.

Access to forbidden areas entails high fines, Phantom Zone imprisonment, and other sanctions up to and 
including termination of life functions."

O death, where is thy sting? - Alternate Death System for DCC

I mentioned yesterday in the Scrappler post about Return to Oz (I think that's the name) - a reasonably priced and very charming little number, built to run kids through the land of the Dorothy/Toto stories.  A couple of interesting mechanical ideas in it, that hinge on the premises that one can't be killed and that having friends is better than having enemies.  Also, tangentially, chock full of useful Oz information and cannon narrative material about characters, races, etc. and brimming with neat ideas to kludge into other games.

I think maybe the best thing I do is schlep together syntheses of lots of fun little bits into something different - maybe not necessarily new or novel, but taking the best bits from systems and hack em together.  I do it in my work - we call it "technical eclecticism" but it's kind of a slur when it's said that way, like you haven't found a strong formulation.  That may be true.

But I was thinking about Death.  DEATH.  DEATH!  Characters have something of us in them, when we play.  It's been my opinion in the past that losing a character or many characters owing to pseudo-death can be a liberating and healthy thing, and I sort of shat on Flailsnailsers in the past for clinging and grinding XP and selling the boots off of dead goblins to hoard coppers and whatnot.  It was pointed out to me, quite nicely, that I didn't really know what the fuck I was talking about and maybe I should Flailsnails a bit before I spoke of things I didn't have any experience in.  For the record, I've played about 2 games total out of hundreds in which this variety of play was a feature, and I think maybe it was just specific players that turned me off of it.  I'm not afraid of adopting a new character as necessary, and I'd like to think I can change positions on things when convinced or given rational arguments based on clear facts.  The Flailsnails thing doesn't appeal to me on paper, but I can see why people invest a lot of emotional weight into a preferred character.  Believe it or not, we all do it everyday!  Our characters look like us, and the stats aren't usually on paper, but having an alternate and powerful persona for a while can be a release and comforting and fulfills in Flailsnailsers the same function it must fulfill in other RPG players - namely, fun.  I tried to adopt a "don't shit on peoples' fun" approach a while back, and now I'd like to make it somewhat easier for DCC players (since DCC has clearly become my system of choice) to careen about the multiverse by providing interesting alternatives to death.

DCC has two approaches this way that I've come into contact with, the Core Rulebook has the Turn the Body Over check - pretty simple and elegant, and highlights the ultimate risks in spending your finite reserve of Luck. +Scott Mathis ' Transylvanian Adventures supplement has the Ruin score which adds a good bit of complexity and some more chance into the way that Death can be avoided - I guess the idea is that Fear and the associated paralysis can really put a dent in the evening's fun when everybody dies abruptly, and the Ruin score is a way to push things back in the players' favor with a modicum of risk and reward.  I like it, although I haven't yet seen it play out in the way it was likely intended.

So, my take on this new thing for Death doesn't yet have a name or anything.  The Hapless Henchman System of Fun Death Evasion.  No, your character doesn't have to die, if you find you cannot accept this outcome, but now his/ger/its life (or whatever it is) just got intensely more complicated in a way that is good for the narrative and the game overall and will (hopefully) stretch your RP muscles.  Note, this is to promote and reward fun play and not sting for bad dicing.  It will allow for (to me) interesting twists on character development - e.g. in the 1st edition AD&D rules you had hard-coded mechanics for getting turned into a unicorn via reincarnation.  I mean, maybe it doesn't fit my concept but toss off concepts I want to play a Unicorn with a Half-Orc Assassin's soul - wouldn't anybody?

More tomorrow.