Thursday, January 30, 2014

M.A.R. Barker's Memorial Slide Show

The creator of Tekumel, Professor M.A.R. Barker, died March 16th, 2012. A slide show was prepared for his memorial. Here it is.


Monday, January 27, 2014

Marvel SuperHeroes: The Tourist

My friend, +Gary Fortuin, ran Marvel Superheroes today as part of his series of monthly one-shots. I had never played it before, so I had to go. We had a bit of silliness. We kicked some ass. I had a great time. Here's my character.

Hero's Name: The Tourist
Group: The Inexplicable Why Men
Origin: Alien
Hero's Identity: Jack Spratus, Electrician

Jakoraspratus was traveling by interstellar cruise liner when an equipment malfunction jettisoned his stateroom as an escape pod in the vicinity of Earth. After landing, he has been using his powers to help people, until he can find a way back into space.

F:Remarkable (26)
A:Incredible (36)
S:Incredible (36)
E:Poor (3)
R:Poor (3)
I:Incredible (36)
P:Excellent (16)

Health: 101
Karma: 55
Resources: Typical (5)

Powers:
Illusion-casting: Monstrous (63)
Electrical Control: Amazing (46)
Molecular Conversion: Good (10)

Talents (5 max.)
Trance

Contacts (4 max.)
The first person he met who helped him was Reed Richards. Reed helped him establish his secret identity, and invited him over for some dinners with Sue, Johnny, and Ben. Reed also introduced him to The Why Men and Major Dragger.

Major Bill Dragger is in the Air Force Space Command. He is helping Jack get back into space by looking for the FTL signature of the space liner fleet. If he finds a likely signal, he'll contact Jack immediately.

Scenario

The Inexplicable Why Men took on the Sinister Six: Doc Ock, Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Electro, and The Vulture. Our electrical projector managed to electrify Kraven with a roll of 100, and Kraven managed to miserably failed his END roll with an 01, killing Kraven dead. Our adaptive flame projector accidentally fried three of the Vultures henchmen. And our levitator had fun lifting things and dropping them, including some tigers he put on some poor sot's balcony. The Tourist's molecular conversion trapped Kraven and The Vulture in viscous puddles of tar, my electrical powers shorted out a bunch of robot bank robbers, and when I needed to hide, I made a dozen illusionary duplicates of myself.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Random Appearance Charts for Tekumel

Eye Color (d20)

1-3      Black
4-16    Brown
17-18  Green
19       Blue
20       Choice

Hair Color (d20)

1-8      Black
9-16    Brown
17-20  Light Brown

Males: roll d10: 1-3 = beard

Hair Length (d10)

Male   Female  Length
1-5     1            Short
6-8     2-6         Medium
9-10   7-10        Long

Complexion (d20)

1-3     Very dark
4-11    Dark
12-18  Tanned
19-20  Fair

Voice (d6)

Male   Female   Voice Pitch
1         1-3          High
2-4      4-5          Medium
5-6      6             Low

Handedness (2d6)

2       Ambidextrous
3-4    Left-handed
5-12  Right-handed 

Facial Features

Number of facial features: d6-2
When two possibilities are listed, roll a d2 or choose.

1   Large/small eyes
2   Sharp/soft features
3   Round/narrow face
4   High forehead
5   High cheekbones
6   Large/small nose
7   Large/small jaw
8   Large/small teeth
9   Full/thin lips
10 Epicanthic folds
11 Large/small ears
12 Facial scar
13 Freckles
14 Curly hair
15 Upturned eyebrows
16 Pointed ears
17 Wide/thin nose
18 Overbite
19 Round/narrow eyes
20 Eye close together/far apart

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Carangil, High Elf

5'8", 150 lbs.
9th Level (181,800 XP)

Strength:12
Dexterity:18
Constitution:15
Appearance:13
Bardic Voice:19
Intelligence:12
Wisdom:18
Charisma:19
Bravery:13
Alignment:1/20
Body:28
Fatigue32
Carrying Capacity:225 lbs.
Military Ability:8.4
Command Level:4.2
PCF:20.95

Red hair
Green eyes
Left handed

Primitive Talent Magic

MKL: 10
Concentration: 102.6
PMF: 20.5

Circle of Protection

Detection Spells

Detect Alignment
Detect Altitude
Detect Magic
Detect Secret Door
Detect Tracks
Detect Small Traps
Detect Old Tracks
Detect Traps
Find Direction
Measure Distance
Detect Enemies
Detect Invisible
Detect Poison
Detect Observation
Find the Hidden

Communication and Transportation Spells

Fly
Telepathy
Teleportation
Animal Messenger
Levitate
Teleportal

Command Spells

Charm Person
Hold Small Animals
Hold Large Animals
Command Large Animals
Awaken
Sleep
Summon Animals
Hold Person
Demoralization

Basic Magic Spells

Create Fire, Detach,Amplify, Accelerate, Remove
Create Flame, Detach, Amplify
Create Light/Dark, Affix, Remove
Create Smoke, Intensify, Remove
Create Magic Fire, Detach, Accelerate, Remove
Create Ice, Detach, Accelerate, Decelerate, Remove
Create Water, Detach, Accelerate, Concentrate
Create Rain/Spray, Detach, Affix, Concentrate, Remove
Create Fog/Mist, Detach, Affix, Remove
Create Sand, Detach, Accelerate, Concentrate, Remove
Create Dust, Detach, Affix, Amplify, Concentrate
Create Porous Rock, Detach
Detach Dense Rock
Detach Air
Remove Poison Gas

Illusion Spells

Blurred Images
Dispel Illusion I
Detect Illusion I
Hallucinatory Landscape
Dispel Fatigue
Dispel Illusion II
Delusion
Shadow Monsters
Dispel lllusion IV

Ancient Lore Spells

Knock
Healing
Legend Lore
Command Plants
Far Sight
Noise
Passwall
Silence
Strength
Speed
Water Breathing
Interdimensional Labyrinth


Weapons:BlowsxWDF% Parry% HitCrit
Light+34-33+33
Heavy+24-25+30
Dodge bonus:
Active shield parry:
-45
-35



Weapon Bonuses

Elvish Longbow: +22%
Long sword: +22%
Dagger: +10%

Equipment   

+3 Elvish Longbow
20 +3 arrows
Dagger
Long sword
Chainmail suit
Clothes
Horse

Friday, January 17, 2014

Primitive Talent Magic for the OSR

In the continuing effort to model the Chivalry and Sorcery magic system in the OSR (specifically LL), I return to another Natural magic user, the Primitive Talent. The first effort was the Mechanical Artificer class. (I have already translated Primitive Talent magic to GURPS.)

Primitive Talent Magic

At the dawn of mankind, life was a struggle to survive. Humans had several natural advantages, intelligence, tools, and the ability to organize. They also had magic as one of those tools. But in the mists of time, there were no teachers nor books from which to learn spellcraft -- a magically gifted person might be the only one in the tribe. Those who could manipulate mana gained new talents because of their interactions with the world, not because someone told them how to do it. These were the Primitive Talent Mages. Their heritage remains in the human population.

Primitive Talent Magic gives a character the ability to cast spells, but they cannot learn spells from teachers or books, nor can they create magic items. Primitive mages use no focus, but they can use magic items made by other magic users. Primitive mages gain spells as they gain experience. A primitive talent mage does spend long hours studying spells, so any character class can be a primitive talent. The initial list of spells a character knows is based on survival instincts and social class -- starting spells are different, depending on where in society the character was born. 

Yeoman or Serf: 

Locate Animals 
Predict Weather
Protection from Evil
Detect Magic
Charm Person (if CHA >= 16) 

Townsman: 

Hold Portal
Read Languages
Protection from Evil
Detect Magic
Charm Person (if CHA >= 16) 

Guildsman: 

Hold Portal
Read Languages
Read Magic
Protection from Evil
Charm Person (if CHA >= 16) 

Nobleman: 

Detect Magic 
Detect Evil
Protection from Evil 
Read Magic
Charm Person (if CHA >= 16) 

As the character gains experience, they will learn new spells. The player can pick an additional spell for every 10,000 XP their character gains. Spells from Magic User, Cleric, and Druid spell lists can be taken. They can take spells with level equal to half their level, rounded up. For example, a level 3 primitive talent fighter can choose level 2 spells. 

This add-on class adds 750 points to the required experience points for 2nd level of whatever the character's main class is. For example, a Fighter who was a Primitive Talent would need 2750 points to reach level 2, and the experience points double each level beyond that.

Limitations:

GM’s Choice: The GM selects the spells to add to the character’s spell list, instead of the player (-250 XP).

Enhancements:

Enchantment Allowed (+150 XP): the Primitive Talent mage can make magic items.
Book Learning (+200 XP): the Primitive mage can learn from books, scrolls, and teachers.

An alternative to multiclassing for elves is to use Primitive Talent magic for their innate magical abilities. In this case, Elves could choose to be fighters or thieves without dividing their XP between the classes.

Wood Elves are primitive mages with the Enchantment Allowed enhancements. Wood Elves can make a +2 bow and +2 arrows for their personal use, as well as other items. The starting spell list for elves begins with the Yeoman or Serf list above, plus Detect Magic, Find Traps, Read Magic, and Locate Animals. 

High Elves/Great Fey are primitive mages, too. Treat as Wood Elves, plus they have the Book Learning enhancement. Their can make a +3 bow and +3 arrows for their personal use, as well as other items. 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Taran of Flyster Wood, Yeoman Forester

Human yeoman forester
6' 2" tall, 200 lbs., age: 20
4th Level (16,250 XP) +5%
Well-aspected Sagittarius
Father is Yeoman forester
   FMM*

Strength:13
Dexterity:14
Constitution:11
Appearance:12
Bardic Voice:10
Intelligence:19
Wisdom:16
Charisma:12.4
Bravery:12
Alignment:12
Body:18
Fatigue16
Carrying Capacity:320 lbs.
Military Ability:7.1
Command Level:3.6
PCF:13.1

Primitive Talent Magic

MKL: 1
Concentration: 4.9
PMF: 2.1

Spells
Detect Tracks
Find Direction
Hold Small Animals
Hold Large Animals
Charm Person
Circle of Protection
Create Fire

Weapons:BlowsxWDF% Parry% HitCrit
Light+23-20+20
Heavy+14-12+18
Dodge bonus:
Active shield parry:
-22
-18



Weapon Bonuses

Longbow: +15%
Spear: +8%
Hand axe: +8%
Long sword: +9%

Equipment   

Clothes
Longbow
Spear
Hand axe
Long sword

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Marcon Ethring, King

Earl Marcon Ethring's Coat of Arms

Background

Marcon Ethring was the 3rd son of the 23rd Duke and Duchess of Galbowdran. His father was the brother of the king and Marcon was an Earl. The king had 3 sons and a grandson, Marcon was 8th in line to the throne.

On the day of the king's only daughter's wedding, a grand occasion and national holiday, Marcon lay ill in bed, having caught the last puke-thrall of the spring. He watched the festivities from his room in the north tower. All we gathered and the ceremony was begun, when a flash and a thunderclap interrupted the proceedings. There stood Felonius the Sorcerer, who had long sought to destroy the king and control the country for his own evil ends. The powerful sorcerer quickly killed the court wizards by summoning a demon from the pits of Hell, and then killed the entire royal family with vast explosions of fire.

Marcon knew that he was in danger, so with the aide of a faithful servant, he stumbled down into the dungeons to find the secret escape out of the castle. They found the captain of the guard in a dank cell, put there by the king for a drunken slight the night before. Marcon released him and told of what had transpired. The three of them fled the castle.

After two months of hiding in the Shadow Forest, word arrived that Felonius had been put to flight by the last dying act of the chief wizard, who summoned a holy guardian who expelled the demon and threatened the sorcerer.

Marcon's coronation as king was a somber affair, and he quickly began to rebuild the country. Once things were in order, he began his search for the sorcerer Felonius.


Human fighter
10th Level (237,000 XP)
6' 2" tall, 190 lbs., age: 35
Cancer (neutrally-aspected)
Born the nephew to the king
   3rd son of king's 2nd brother
   8th in line to the throne
Father is Duke (23rd),
   parents are dead, MMMFF

Brown eyes
Black hair, medium length
Normal complexion
Neutral expression
Deep voice
Heavy drinker
Heavy smoker
Long temper, but
spectacular


Strength:20 (16)
Dexterity:19
Constitution:13
Appearance:20
Bardic Voice:20
Intelligence:19
Wisdom:8
Charisma:32 / 30
Bravery:20 (16)
Alignment:7
Body:47
Fatigue40
Carrying Capacity:703 lbs.
Military Ability:12.87
Command Level:7.435
PCF:33.67
Honor points:766
Status:70
Basic Influence Factor:103
Romance Factor:132


Light WeaponsHeavy Weapons
Blows+7+6
Damagex6x6
To-Hit+38%+32%
Parry-38%-28%
Shield parry-40%
Dodge-45%

Weapon Bonuses

Cavalry Lance: +11%
Knight's broadsword: +15%
War hammer: +12%
Heavy crossbow: +12%
Sword: +10%

Equipment   
Coat of Arms of King Marcon I

-2 full plate suit (gift of the Dwarf King):
    -2 plate cuirass
    -2 chain mail undercoat
    -2 visored helm
    Armored gauntlets
    -2 Kite shield
+7 Long sword, "Banegil" (part of Royal Regalia),
    Brightness enchantment, 22 + d10 damage, 17 blows,
    +45%, star of iron, alchemetical ruby on the pommel
+3 Knight's broadsword, damage: 18, 10 blows
Arctorius Stone ring (Royal Regalia)
Crown (Royal Regalia)
War hammer, damage: 15, 7 blows
Heavy crossbow (20 +2 bolts)
Rapier
Lance
Superb heavy war horse, chestnut, "Relayer"
Saddle, blanket, saddlebags
Bridle and bit
Pouch: pipe weed, pipe, flint, steel, and tinder



(The illustrations on this page are the originals I drew in the early 1980s. I'm still working on getting scanned versions I like.)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Morin Stoneheart, Dwarf Crossbowman


Dwarvish crossbowman
8th Level
4' tall, 75 lbs., age: 65
Leader of crossbow company (50)
Armorer
Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Goblin,
Gnollish, Kobold
Grey eyes
Black hair, medium length
Tan complexion
Chest-length beard
Narrow nose
Large eyes
Excellent sense of smell
Excellent sense of hearing
Conceited
Heavy drinker
Arachnaphobia

Strength:13
Dexterity:20
Constitution:13
Appearance:18
Bardic Voice:10
Intelligence:16
Wisdom:15
Charisma:18
Bravery:16
Alignment:12
Body:24
Fatigue18
Carrying Capacity:200 lbs.
Military Ability:9.2
Command Level:5
PCF:17.6


Light WeaponsHeavy Weapons
Blows+3+2
Damagex4x4
To-Hit+25%+22%
Parry-25%-17%
Shield parry-25%
Dodge-28%

Dwarvish Abilities

Dark vision
Open Locks: 35%
Detect traps: 65%
Disarm Traps: 30%
Hide in shadows (underground): 30%
Move silently (underground): -15%
Dodge: -5%
No morale checks underground
Magically resistant: save 4 levels higher
Tunneling speed: x6

Weapon Bonuses

2-handed mattock: +16%
Dwarf war hammer: +10%
Shield: -18%
Heavy crossbow: +13%
Hand axe: +13%

Equipment

+5 Two-handed mattock
Dwarf war hammer
Medium shield
Heavy crossbow
Hand axe
-2 plate and chain
pony

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Erin Phyler, Young Necromancer

Human female
5'4" 100 lbs., age: 17, Neutrally-aspected Cancer
Only child of an architect, credit to the family
Level: 3
XP: 5500

One night, Erin awoke after midnight. She lit a candle on her beside, and saw an apparition before her. The image of an old man stood before her bed. The spirit spoke to her, telling of her destiny to pursue the ultimate intellectual journey: to discover the meanings of life and death. If she so chose, the spirit said he would teach her in the pursuit of this goal.

Erin, who had been discovering that the world was not as simple as her parents and teachers had been telling her, agreed to begin her training as a necromancer, and the spirit secretly began to instruct her. He started with teaching her which end of a sword to swing. Just the basics of weapon play -- enough to defend herself and little more. She applied herself and picked it up well. Once he taught her the Command Undead and Create Skeleton spells, her spirit guide led her on a journey to one of his hidden caches. She convinced her father, an architect of some skill, to take her on a business trip that traveled past the location in the wilderness. After everyone was in bed in the inn, she stole away into the night, following her master's shade, to find the abandoned woodcutter's house in the woods that her mentor indicated to her. It was guarded by a skeleton. He showed her where a warrior had died at the skeleton's hands outside the house. She raised the skeleton of the warrior as her servant, and attacked the guardian undead with him. Once she and her servant had killed the guarding skeleton, the spirit guide showed her where he had hidden some gold and jewelry, including a black pearl necklace with a Protection vs. Command Spells enchantment.

Erin took a small amount of coin and the necklace. She left her skeleton to guard the house and the remaining treasure, exchanging one skeleton for another. It was now her secret hideaway and laboratory for her upcoming training. She returned to the inn and slept for a few hours before her father left for the remainder of the trip.

She is now 2nd MKL, and knows a few spells. She has since found another skeleton and raised it as an undead servant, so two skeletons guard her master's legacy and her hideout.

Strength:9
Dexterity:19
Constitution:12
Appearance:16
Bardic Voice:14
Intelligence:19
Wisdom:17
Bravery:7
Charisma:16
Alignment:20
Body:12
Fatigue:11
Carrying Capacity:100 lbs.
Military Ability:6.9
Command Level:3.45
PCF:8.35

Steel grey eyes
Short, wavy brown hair
Fair complexion
Serious expression
Right handed
Dimples
Full lips
High cheekbones
Thin nose
Sharp features
Husky voice
Tone deaf
Taciturn

Weapon Bonuses

Short sword +3%
Dagger +3%
Short composite bow +3%

Necromancer

MKL: 2
Concentration Level: 5.6
PMF: 6.5

Spirit Guide: 225 year dead necromancer's ghost, Conc. Level: 300, MKL: 15

Spells

Reveal
Reveal Secret Door
Measure Volume

Communications/Transportation
Fly

Water
Detach, Affix, Accelerate, Concentrate Rain and Spray
Accelerate Fog and Mist

Fire
Create, Remove Smoke

Necromantic
Command Undead
Create Skeleton

Ancient Lore
Voice

Equipment

Dagger
Short sword
Short composite bow


Belt pouch: 19 gp, 103 sp
Long-sleeved linen tunic, light blue, good quality
Riding breeches, light brown, good quality
Riding boots, good quality leather
Cloak, dark blue, good quality
Wardrobe of well-to-do clothing
Light warhorse, "Mist", dapple grey, comes when called
Saddle and gear
50' rope
Mixture of jewelry: rings. armbands, necklaces, bracelets, gems
   (worth 5,000 gp)
Black pearl necklace (amulet of protection vs. commands), saves as MKL 8

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Traveller Character: Midas Willby, Swordworlder Engineer, Psionic

While digging for Chivalry and Sorcery characters to post for the Obsolete Simulation Roundup, I discovered the majority of my characters that were saved over the years. Here I present a Traveller character (Book 5: High Guard).

Midas Willby, Swordworlder Engineer

5'9" 154 lbs., age 26, home world: Steel (E655110C)
Employed by Captain Derrick Hydeclone

STR:7
DEX:8
END:A
INT:8
EDU:8
SOC:A
PSI:A

Engineer4
Survival5
Medical2
Blade Combat2
Combat Rifleman1
Battle Dress1
Electronics1
Mechanical1
Liaison1
Short brown hair
Golden eyes, large, round
Tanned complexion
Smiling Expression
Deep Voice
Right handed
Eyes wide
High cheekbones

Excellent sense of smell
Liar
Tidy
Independent
Self-reliant
Good tipper
Won't drink before noon, local
Tends to pun

Psionics

Telepathy

   Life detection (1 pt/min.) + range
   Telempathy (1 pt/min)
   Read surface thoughts (2 pts/min)
   Send thoughts (2 pts/min)
   Probe (8 pts/10 min)
   Assault (10 pts/attack, < 2 sec.)

Clairvoyance (15 second impression)

   Sense (1 pt, very basic description)
   Clairvoyance (2 pt)
   Clairaudience (2 pt)
   Combined (2 pt)
   Direction (0 pt, for out of sight)

Telekinesis

   Very long range = 251 - 500 meters
   100 kg. weight limit
   1 min.
 

Career

Swordworlds Navy -- Engineering Branch


Washed out of Naval Academy

Basic/Adv. Training E1
Shore Duty  E2
Training
Strike MCUF w/ crossed swords, Purple Heart  E3
Patrol  MCUF
Shore Duty
Shore Duty

Money:  461800 credits

Equipment:
Everkeen blade
Force cutlass
Stasis blade
gyro-jet pistol
20 clips of ammo (25 shots each)
Statz energy pistol, 2500 shots
Statz energy carbine, 5000 shots
Statz energy rifle, 10,000 shots
Pen laser/stunner (X-ray, 20 shots)
Stunner
Cloth armor yellow
ablat jacket
MR communicator, small
hand computer
wrist watch (1000 credits)
binders, 2 sets
vacc suit
1 mining droid
1 combat droid
100 lbs. explosives
diary of travels
Combat Boost +3 STR/+2 DEX, 2 doses, lasts 1 hour, then +1 for 1 hour, then -1 for 8 hours
Psi-boost hash, 18 gr., +d2 for 2 hours, then an 8-hour nap
2 kg. of extra special grade recreational herbs
healing salve, 5 doses

Thursday, January 2, 2014

An Amusing Description of Tekumel

At my playtest of my new Tekumel rules, +George Hammond quoted a very amusing description of Tekumel from someone who had just read EPT. It's from a discussion on RPG.Net about bizarre settings.

"Jesus...this is so eccentric, personal, trippy, bizarre, jagged, beautiful, crude, and imaginative. It's Edgar Rice Burroughs meets 1960's psychedellic culture meets Imperial China meets the Aztecs in a dark alley behind a brothel in Tangiers, where they bump into a drunken Tolkien and violently sodomize him on a pile of garbage while he begs them not to stop. I can fucking smell the hash smoke coming through the screen of my monitor." 
         -- Richard R.

I just thought I'd share that with everyone.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Regifting

I won a PDF copy of The Gnomes of Levnec in Tenkar's Tavern's 12 Day of the OSR Christmas. But I already own a copy. So, I'm regifting it.

If you'd like this adventure, post on the comments, and give me a one sentence description of a location in the wilderness. I will pick randomly from the submissions. You can either post here or on my G+ version.