2010-07-31

[Pathfinder] New Weapon Enchantment - Ruin

Ruin: When a ruin weapon does any damage to an opponent of its keyed type, the target must make a Fortitude save with a DC of 17. If the victim fails the save, he is Stunned for a number of rounds equal to the wielder's Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 round) as crippling pain wracks his body. Against the designated type of enemy, the weapon's enhancement bonus is +1 better than its actual bonus as well as doing an additional 1d6 damage.

2010-07-29

[Pathfinder] Ursht - 2nd Level

History

The Ebon Six have been busy. Guided by visions from his sire, Ursht has helped them secure positions within the political landscape of the Yeomanry. After careful vetting of candidates to find those of weak will and corruptable mein, Ursht would be brought in (cloaked and masked) to mesmerize by leading special séances to speak with the ancestors of the attendees. These rituals were devised to give victims visions of political success, and the cult more information about what motivates their targets.

2010-07-26

[VNS] Day 1 - The Science within Dagon

Vacation Necronomicon School - Assignment #1

Our initial assignment concerns ruminations on the scientific aspects of Lovecraft's fiction, specifically within the story Dagon. Here are mine...

[Wanderer] Career - Warriors

Here are working notes on Wanderer's Warriors career path. Feel free to add feedback (constructive criticism is appreciated; flaming will getcha baned!).

Characters are created using the same outline as in Traveller Book 1, Characters and Combat. There are a number of cascade skills (which are documented), as well as the basics for skill accumulation and mustering out. As previously stated, the "default setting" described by these careers will be documented in a different post. Trust me; this initial Kingdom will have many similarities to those who have read the world's most popular roleplaying game.

2010-07-25

Vacation Necronomicon School

Well, smack my butt and call me Shirley...
Turns out there's a summer correspondence course to study the works of H. P. Lovecraft!

I believe I'll be participating in Vacation Necronomicon School.

Fun stuff.

2010-07-21

[Pathfinder] Ursht - New Character

A vile demon-worshiping cult has wormed its way into the noble Houses of the Yeomanry of the Flanaess. What began as a fashionable séance-enacting occult society evolved into The Ebon Six, a coven which venerates Graz'zt and holds ties to the warlord Iuz. To cement the cult's power and prove their faith to the Dark Prince, the cabal's leader Heneras gave Graz'zt his eldest unmarried daughter. Surulla disappeared in a flash during the ritual but was found several days later walking back towards the capital, babblingly insane.

2010-07-12

[Traveller] Ship Design - Kha Class Strike Carrier

To help in writing Wanderer, I wanted to run some Classic Traveller and get my "combat legs" back for the system. Talking with my group, I found several were wanting to run a military game and tear things up with Gray Ops, Battle Dress-equipped Imperial Marines. Given the scenario-based game, I thought I'd indulge in some custom ship design and make the ship the center of the stories.

2010-07-08

[IMCotD] - Steampunk Edition

IM Conversations of the Damned


(9:10:45 AM) Kevin: Next on a special episode of Steampunky Brewster -- she crashes her Zeppelin into the Royal Naval Base.
(9:11:20 AM) Gerall: Oh Punky!
(9:11:52 AM) Kevin: I want to watch this show!
(9:12:33 AM) Gerall: It was obviously the Rocket Nazis which caused the Zeppelin issue...
(9:12:49 AM) Kevin: Or the Gorillas.
(9:13:24 AM) GK: Oooh - Gorilla Scientists from the Darkest Congo!!
(9:13:30 AM) Kevin: Yes!
(9:15:16 AM) Gerall: They're actually here to help Steampunky fight the Rocket Nazis, but noone speaks their language...
(9:15:50 AM) Gerall: Good thing the royal naval base has a world-class translator!!
(9:16:13 AM) Gerall: Then we discover that the Gorillas aren't native to Earth; but Venus!
(9:16:36 AM) Kevin: Oh, man. get your mind back to Wanderer. :)

2010-07-07

[Wanderer] beginning Careers section

It is good to be done with the Introduction for Wanderer. Now, on to the hard work.

Careers are the meat-and-potatoes of setting definition for Classic Traveller. The first three LBBs defined the Vilani Imperium as the default setting. More interestingly, they accomplished this without broadcasting the fact. This allowed Referees to customize their setting if they wanted, stretching and warping the Vilani into their own interesting culture. Capturing the initial flash and impression of a specific culture without over-investing in a specific setting is going to be an interesting challenge.

My initial inspiration was to create a slightly modified system which used a "zero term" to define an initial culture. Leads to alternate careers could be embedded in a kingdom, allowing writers to proscribe some choices and make others more common by tweaking the enlistment requirement down or similar. Taking this "zero term" into account would, of course, push back the starting age of characters. Unless we tweak the number of skills which are common to characters...

...and so the inevitable mutation of my initial charge progressed. At least until Kevin reminded me of our purpose and drive: To use the stock system from Classic Traveller to implement a Fantasy Roleplaying Game.

Needless to say, I'm back on track now with the core rules as a reference. Our Wanderer is not a line-by-line transformation of Traveller. It is a game unto itself, that follows as closely as possible the design of its ancestor to give gamers the same quality tool kit they got when they picked up the original.

Good thing I'm not writing in a vaccuum. Thanks, Kevin!

2010-07-06

[Pathfinder] New Weapon Enchantment - Wrack

Wrack: When a wrack weapon inflicts any damage against the specified type of foe, the target must make a Fortitude save DC 15. If the victim fails the save, he is Staggered for 1d3 rounds as waves of pain course through him. Against the designated enemy type, the weapon's enhancement bonus is +1 better than its actual bonus.

2010-07-02

[Pathfinder] New Poison - Splinter

There are times when you just want to slow someone down, or get another chance to make your Stealth roll and hide from them. In this instance, Splinter is ideal.