Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Morrow Project - Fourth Edition - Kickstarter Launched

First came an updated Gamma World. Then came an updated Metamorphosis Alpha. And now, another classic post-apocalyptic RPG is being updated and released from its hibernation chamber to walk the remnants of a devastated Earth. The Morrow Project is now being updated for a fourth edition by Timeline Ltd.

When it appeared nuclear war was inevitable, a clandestine project was considered and launched. Hundreds of citizens and experts with specific skills would be cryogenically frozen in hidden boltholes around the world. A few years after the End of the World, these people would then be released to help rebuild the world. Complications arose, and the first of these enclaves were instead released nearly 150 years in the future. And contact has been lost with the other enclaves. Can this small crew exist and survive in a world they no longer recognize? Can the world still be saved?

Production of The Morrow Project is now being funded through Kickstarter, and it appears the project has already reached its funding goal with more than a month left in the campaign.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Savage Menagerie: Cobweb


No. Enc.: 2d10
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 9
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1
Damage: Special
Save: L1
Morale: None
Hoard Class: None

Cobwebs are mutated cornstalks that can trap unsuspecting victims in sticky strands of webbing. When approached, the husks surrounding the Cobweb will slowly peel back on its own, exposing pale white corncobs along each stalk. Once exposed, the kernels on each cob will explode much like popcorn kernels with a pop-pop-pop, spraying thin sticky webs of filament over a 20 ' radius. Any within range who say they're diving out of the way will escape entrapment if they make a successful save versus stun attacks. The only way to free someone trapped in Cobweb webbing is with oil, acid, or fire. (Blades and cutting tools will be unable to cut through the webbing and will just become gummed up and ensnared as well.) Cobweb webbing is solely a defensive measure by the plant and those trapped will receive no damage from the webs. A Cobweb's webbing will crumble and turn to dust after 2 weeks, at which point the ensnared victim has most likely died of exposure and thirst. Because it takes a Cobweb nearly 2 months to regrow its cobs, hungry scavengers use this period to drag away and feed upon the corpses of the victims, free from the danger of becoming ensnared themselves.

Mutations: webs

Monday, November 26, 2012

Visit Occult Moon's "Island"

Occult Moon has released their newest "Post-Apocalyptic Toy" in their running series of sandboxes for Armageddon-based RPGs.

The Island: Out in the middle of the great Glass Sea, there is an island that is home to the old Flint Hills Research Laboratory. This lab survived the events that brought on the fall of civilization and has continued to experiment and research ways to make the world that remained better. Perhaps you have already seen their handiwork over in the psychic village. But not everything is going well on the island. They may need a bit of help.

This newest supplement is $1.99 and available on Drive Through RPG.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Ancient Armory: Hornet Mini-UAV (AKA "Pocket Rocket")

Weapon: Hornet Mini-UAV
Damage: 5d6
Normal Range: 1,500 ft.
Max. Range: 3,000 ft.
Blast Radius: 20 ft.
Weight: 9 lbs.

The Hornet Mini-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is an experimental handheld and hand-launched missile system. They are similar in design to the micro-missile launcher (MF rulebook, pg. 121), except that they are a self-contained weapons system and not part of a set of powered armor or other military application. Each mini-rocket is approximately a foot-and-a-half in length, and the missile and launcher weighs 9 pounds. Once loaded, the missile can be fired with one hand much like any pistol. A Hornet Mini-UAV case contains a launcher and 4 missiles.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

WARNING: Ursine Gobbler Spotted! (And A Sale On The Database!)

This warning is going out to all readers of The Savage AfterWorld. A herd of Ursine Gobblers has been sighted roaming the nearby wastelands. This beastly behemoth should be avoided at all costs, especially today when they are most active.

Data on this creature (and 89 others) appears in the Deviant Database. To ensure that all future mutants have a chance to acquire one of these useful guidebooks to post-apocalyptic denizens, the Database is now on sale for 30% off. A downloadable PDF is available for $4.15 at Drive Through RPG and a perfect-bound hardcopy book is available at Lulu for $9.77. This sale lasts for the next few days until the danger passes and the Gobblers return to dormancy.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

This Just In: TSR Games To Live Again

Not a hoax. Not a dream sequence. The name and trademark have been secured by the folks who know the brand best:
 
And this fledgling company -- founded and run by Jayson Elliot, Ernie Gygax, Luke Gygax, Tim Kask, James Carpio, and Jim Wampler -- will roll out their first product this December:

 I haven't been this excited since 1982.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Dangerous Encounter: The Ghost Of Aisle 17

This encounter takes place at a long-abandoned Ancient supermarket. The PCs could be sent there by a merchant to retrieve canned foodstuffs. A village elder may ask them to go there to find and bring back medications from the "farm-oh-see". Or they may just stumble across the ruined market while on the road between adventures.

Once they arrive, the Mutant Lord should describe the market as being in reasonably decent shape, as the walls are still standing and the roof seems intact (except for a few large holes where the sun peeks through). Upon entering, the market is a fairly cavernous space with row upon row upon row of tall metal shelving units. The outer walls are lined with glass-encased freezer and refrigerator units (all long-empty). A row of check-out lines is at the front of the store and PCs who explore will find a few offices and employee break room in the back. The floors are covered in dirt, dust, and cobwebs, and field mice can be seen scurrying in the shadows.

The Mutant Lord is encouraged to peak the PCs interest in digging around the facility, as it appears that looters and marauders haven't picked the market clean. Have the PCs roll randomly for every hour of searching to locate some miscellaneous items such as preserved food, flashlights, lighters, Ancient coinage, an intact shopping cart, small plastic toys, etc. If the PCs were sent to retrieve some MacGufflin for someone, it should be hard to locate (which gives the Mutant Lord enough time to set up the following situation).

After they've searched for a while, a laser shot should barely miss one of the PCs. They'll probably assume they've been ambushed and will go investigate where the shot came from. At one end of the store, high upon one of the shelves they'll find a Laser Pistol Mark 1 mounted in a tripod-like stand (2 shots left). No footprints will be found at the sniper site, and any tracking mutations will come up short of identifying who -- or what -- fired at them. What the PCs don't know is that they HAVE seen the sniper when they first entered: it's the mice scurrying about.

Hyper-intelligent Mice (200) (AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 8, HD 1 hit point, #AT 1 (bite/group), DG 1d6, SV L0, ML 7, mutations: advanced intelligence, quick mind)

The supermarket is infested by a colony of hyper-intelligent mice. These mice appear the same as any common grey or brown fieldmouse, however they all have human-level intelligence. They are able to read and understand Ancient languages, as well as most languages spoken in the Mutant Future (although they cannot speak themselves). Because of their quick mind mutation, they have been able to figure out how many common devices and weapons work, and they are capable of tool usage. The mice have been scaring off potential looters to their nesting grounds for generations, and they've gotten quite good at it. Some of the tactics they have used in the past:

* They've gnawed away the support footing on some of the heavier shelves and have run tripwires they can trigger. if someone wanders down on of the trapped aisles, they can cause the shelves to fall upon them.
* They have a collection of letters from various sources (old magazines, sales receipts, Alphabits cereal, etc.) that they use to leave threatening messages to intruders. The PCs may be surprised to see "GET OUT NOW" or "YOU WILL ALL DIE" written in breakfast cereal on the floor.
* One of the mice could sneak into a PC's backpack and pull the pin on a grenade, or perhaps jam their weapon causing it to misfire. Or they may take a small item from one party member and place it in the pouch of another, sowing distrust and discord.
* They could close a freezer door on the PCs, locking them inside.
* Many heavy items are now perched precariously on high shelves which may come raining down upon the heads of the PCs.
* There are several pistols, crossbows, and explosive devices mounted and/or hidden throughout the store. The mice have them positioned where they will do the most damage to intruders. (Keep in mind that they cannot pick up and aim any human-sized weapon. Rather any aimed weapon is carefully mounted in a cradle device and pointed in an obvious direction, say at an entrance or hallway.

Initially the mice are only trying to scare away the PCs. If the PCs stay in the store, the mice's tactics will become more dangerous and injurious. At some point, the PCs may wonder if the place is haunted or if there's an invisible mutant loose in the store. Whether or not they are able to figure out that the mice are causing all of the mischief is left up to the Mutant Lord. The mice will not reveal their true intelligence though, as it makes it easier for them to drive off the superstitious survivors who may wander in.

If by some chance the PCs are able to make contact with the mice (and if they have not injured or killed any of their brethren), the mice may allow them to leave with a few items from the store, but making it clear they are never to return. But if the PCs are taking everything they can carry, or if any of the mice have been attacked and/or killed, the mice will stop at nothing to not only drive the PCs from their home, they will use a variety of hidden ranged weapons to do it.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Starships & Spacemen 2e Now Available!

Goblinoid Games has officially released the second edition of Starships & Spacemen! This new edition of the classic sci fi RPG of exploring "strange new worlds" is fully compatible with Labyrinth Lord and Mutant Future! Here's the pitch:


Boldly explore the galaxy in search of alien civilizations! You take the role of a Military Officer, Technical Officer, Science Officer, or Enlisted Man in the Galactic Confederation. Travel in a starship under your command, on missions of first contact, rescue, exploration, and more in a galaxy full of hostile aliens. Try to maintain the tenuous truce with the militaristic Zangid, and fight the Videni who may look like your Tauran allies, but do not adhere to a philosophy of peace and logic.

Design alien humanoids with either "original series" or "next generation" sensibilites, or blend the two approaches! There are 100 forehead shapes that may be randomly rolled when a new alien race is encountered.

This book contains:
Eight player races...
Three main classes, with several subclasses...
Rules for spaceships and exploration...
many alien creatures...
...and more!

Starships & Spacemen is currently available in PDF format at RPG Now  and Drive Thru RPG. Print version availablity will be announced soon!

Friday, November 16, 2012

The Perfect Survivalist Snack Cake Is No More

This just in on the Armageddon Newswire: Hostess brands has announced it is closing immediately. What does this newsflash have to do with the End of the World? Well...

According to The Elementary School Rumor Mill, only two things were ever going to survive a nuclear war: cockroaches and Twinkies. With a legendary shelf-life nearing that of plutonium, acquiring Twinkies was often a goal on any apocalyptic survivalist's To Do List. Case in point:

Family Guy's "Da Boom" episode took place after a nuclear exchange destroyed the world. As the Griffin family wandered the wastelands, Peter -- remembering that Twinkies can withstand such a disaster -- made it his mission to get the family to the Twinkie factory in a nearby town. When they got there, they saw that the golden spongecakes had indeed survived, feeding them all for years. A new post-apocalyptic village arose around the Twinkie factory ruins.

In the zombie survival movie Zombieland, Tallahassee has one goal in life after the apocalypse: to find and eat a single Twinkie. This quest of his takes he and Columbus to an abandoned Hostess truck by the side of the road; to a supermarket (where they meet Little Rock and Wichita for the first time); to a (sadly empty) Deep-Fried Twinkies booth at Pacific Playland. At the end of the movie, Tallahassee gets his Twinkie, leading to Rule 32: Enjoy the Little Things.

Apparently, store shelves have been laid bare upon the news, so if you haven't had a Twinkie in a while, you probably missed your chance. And there won't be any after the End of the World either.

(And truth be told, I'm a Zingers man anyway.)

Monday, November 12, 2012

Dangerous Encounter: Taking A Collection


While traveling on the road between adventures, the party will be surprised by a nearly feral child crashing from out of the brush, charging at them while screaming and wildly waving his arms about. (Play it up for the shock of a potential attack, but hopefully the PCs won't open fire on a panicked kid.) The child, about 7 or 8, is a young Homo erectus (MF rulebook, pg. 76). He is filthy, wearing a loin cloth, and is armed with a flint knife. 

Young Homo erectus (1) (AL N, MV 120' (40'), AC 8, HD 2, #AT 1 (flint knife), DG 1d4, SV L1, ML 7, mutations: none)

Although it initially appears they are under attack, instead the child is half-crazed with terror and is completely hysterical. Hopefully the PCs will subdue and restrain the terrified child rather than attacking him. (Food may work as he's half-starved, as well as any soothing words or attempts to show him kindness.)

Once the PCs have settled him down, the boy will jabber excitedly to the PCs in some primitive language. He doesn’t speak Ancient or any of the more common languages of the wastelands, and the PCs will not be able to talk to him. The only word he is able to clearly enunciate is ""Homin," which he says while pointing to himself. (It's his name.) The boy then imitates a horse, makes the sound of a laser shot, and mimes the action of dragging something.Attempting to read his mind is difficult due to his near-animal-like intelligence. The best a mindreader can hope for are some flashes of memory, but they are not well-developed. He then desperately tries to drag the PCs toward his settlement. Around the encampment are footprints that look somewhat like hoofmarks as well as signs that several someones were dragged away to the north. The PCs may deduce that marauders and/or slavers dragged away the primitive villagers. They would be wrong.

In actuality, the Homo erectus village was ransacked by a pair of deep space probes that were accidentally reactivated from a nearby military base to the north of the Homo erectus village. The two robotic probes, designed to walk on four legs to better traverse alien terrain, were obviously never launched and were instead mothballed from a time before the Final Wars began. Now that they are active, they are currently following their mission programming -- to detect, subdue, and collect any forms of alien life they discover. The probes are each equipped with a variety of non-lethal methods with which to subdue their prey -- anesthetic gas, stun beams, etc. They also have some powerful weaponry with which to defend themselves (see the probe descriptions below for a full list of abilities and weaponry). They also have a plasma cutter which is helpful if they find themselves entangled or otherwise obstructed, as well as a hologram projector which they use to disorient and fool their prey. (The projector is preloaded with a number of images to be used as distractions or camouflage for the probe.) The two probes are actually hunting separately, so the PCs may think there is only one when first encountered.

The two probes are dragging their captured "samples" back to the military base (which, according to their programming, is their "landing site") where they are storing them in stasis chambers. At this time, they have collected nearly every member of the Homo erectus tribe (11 men, women, and children) as well as a few other creatures from the Mutant Future (a Vile Slasher, a few Spidergoats, and a Brain Lasher are in some other chambers).

How the PCs discover the nature of the abductions and how they deal with the rampant probes are left to the Mutant Lord. They may follow the tracks back to the base. One of the probes may ambush them as they investigate. There may be a drag-down fight at the hanger where the the chambers are stored. Perhaps one of the PCs are caught and stored and the encounter becomes a rescue mission. regardless, the probes work well in tandem and should be role-played as cunning adversaries. And once the probes are dealt with, the military base may have a lot of good Ancient tech to salvage!

Military Deep Space Probes (2)
Hit Dice: 20
Frame: Armature
Locomotion: Legs (Multiple)
Manipulators: Claws (4 of them are located under the "torso" and is used to carry/transport unconscious "samples")
Armor: Duraplastic Armor (AC 5)
Sensors: Class V Sensor System
Mental Programming: Programming 
Accessories: Plasma cutter; Self-repair unit; Hologram projector
Weaponry: Stun probe (2d6 damage and stunned for 1d6 rounds); Anesthetic gas (save versus poison or unconscious for 30 minutes); Laser pistol Mk 1 (5d6 damage)

Friday, November 9, 2012

Wisdom From The Wastelands 19 And Post-Apocalyptic Toys 10 Both Now Out

Two new supplemental releases for Mutant Future and other post-apocalyptic RPGs have been announced!


Skirmisher Publishing's Issue 19 of Wisdom From the Wastelands is now out. This issue is "Robots Part 4," and is described as follows: "Robots are just as important to Mutant Future as biological creatures. They can be antagonists, sources of information, or even slave labor. In this fourth installment of author Derek Holland’s robot-themed issue,s there are new forms of locomotion, new accessories and weapons, and some additional rules." This new issue is only 99 cents and is available at Drive Through RPG.


Occult Moon's Post-Apocalyptic Toys Issue 10 has also been released. This new sandbox setting is "Tradertown." It is described as: "No matter how bad thing get, there will always be those things people need, and more importantly the things they want. When they cannot get those things anywhere else, they always find themselves coming to Tradertown. It is a rolling city of thieves and merchants, of pleasure and wonder, of pain and debt. If you need something bad enough, chances are someone in Tradertown has it, and chances are the Tradesmen will get his cut." This new sandbox setting is $1.99 and is also available at Drive Through RPG.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Ancient Armory: Homemade Pocket Survival Kit


I recently stumbled across an interesting article on Field and Stream.com showing you how to create a pocket survival kit that will fit in an Altoids tin. This handy little kit fascinates me as I’m not only a camper and outdoorsy-type fella, I’m also a self-described expert in all things relating to “How much useful stuff can I cram into this small space?” (You should see me pack for vacation.) I’m planning on whipping one of these up for my personal outdoors gear, and I realized this would make for a useful item for your Mutant Future PCs.

The Pocket Survival Kit is a small collection of useful survival gear and items carried by many denizens of the Mutant Future. Most kits have been cobbled together by wasteland wanderers from tools and trinkets found over the years, although some have discovered “official” survival kits created by Ancient armies for their soldiers.

Most kits are very light – just a few ounces – and are small enough to be tucked into a pocket or hidden in a book or jacket sleeve. The contents of these survival kits vary, but are similar in scope. Here are items a fully-equipped survival kit could contain:
  • FIRE and LIGHT: flint and steel, waterproof matches, a lighter, easily lit waterproof tinder, candle, small LED flashlight
  • WATER and FOOD: water bag or plastic water collector, water purification tablets, fishing line, hooks and tackle, 10 feet of thin wire (for snares)
  • SIGNALING and NAVIGATION: signal mirror, compass
  • TOOLS and MEDICAL SUPPLIES: wire saw, small razor blades, antibiotic ointment, bandages
  • SHELTER and PROTECTION: reflective-surface survival blanket
  • MISCELLANEOUS: nylon string, sewing needles, glue, magnifying glass, safety pins, aluminum foil, waterproof paper, pencil
Generous Mutant Lords could allow their PCs to have a Pocket Survival Kit as part of their starting equipment. If not, perhaps the players could discover one or two in the pockets of a defeated marauder or in the cache of a defeated foe. A devious ML could strip a player of all of his weapons and belongings, then drop him into a savage environment with nothing but his hidden survival kit to see how well he improvises an escape plan with the contents (ala A4: In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords).

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Where Else Is The Deviant Database Available?

How about here?
Noble Knight is one of my favorite online retailers. Getting a bit of a thrill seeing the Deviant Database listed there!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Merriam-Webster's Mutants: Creating Interesting NPCs With Just A Dictionary

The Land of Nod had a great idea for “Dictionary: The RPG.” Blog-meister John Stater came up with a loose collection of rules for running an RPG campaign using only a standard dictionary. It’s a pretty cool system to play around with, and I encourage you to check it out.

While trying to come up with interesting NPCs for a project I’m working on, I remembered “Dictionary: The RPG” and the way it forced you to creatively use a set of random words to fit your vision. So I decided to use my big ol’ chunky Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) in a similar fashion to generate some random NPCs. It worked so well, I decided to share it with everyone. Keep in mind that this is geared toward a post-apocalyptic setting, but you can easily tweak it for fantasy, sci fi, or whatever.

First up, get a dictionary. I recommend a large, hardback, unabridged dictionary as your word selection will be better. (You could use a small paperback pocket dictionary, but the word-per-page ratio is much lower, giving you even fewer options.) Randomly turn to any page. That page is going to become your NPC's "character sheet." Scan the page and get a feel for the words listed on it. You’re going to select three words from this page that will each describe a facet of your NPC:

1. “Who?” One word will describe the person. It could be their profession or some other descriptive physical term. If you come upon a word that brings to mind a certain body type or personality, use that.

2. “Drive?” The next word you settle on should describe their underlying motivations. What makes them tick? What do they want out of life? This word could also help flesh out the physical characteristics of your NPC.

3. “Mutation?” The final word should point to a mutation this NPC has. Is it physical or mental? What extraordinary ability do they have? (Keep in mind that I run Mutant Future, so of course this is going to be one of the defining characteristics of my NPCs. If you’re running a different genre of game, come up with your own final characteristic such as “Skill,” “Talent,” “Hidden Secret,” or whatever.) OK, let’s take this for a test drive. For each entry, I’ll list the page number I turned to as well as the “guide words” listed at the top of that page so you have a feel for the range of words I had to select from.

NPC 1
Page 435: "excel – exclamation point"
Let’s see, the first word my eyes fall on is “exchequer,” someone who collects and manages royal revenue. So I've decided he'll be a “tribute collector” for the local barony. Next we need to determine what kind of person he is – what drives him. The word “excessive” jumps out at me, so I see him as being portly, self-absorbed, and draped in fineries. He’s someone who revels in his position and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. (He’s obviously skimming from the collected revenues.) And what mutation bubbles under the surface? How about the word “exchange”? If you can exchange your mind with someone else’s, that certainly points to the possession mutation. So here we have a corrupt tax collector who eats too much and wraps himself in “the better things” who uses his mutation to take over the minds of weaker individuals to fleece them of their hard-earned coin. All generated from three random words. Let’s try another:

NPC 2
Page 1154: "show-and-tell – shrining"
First up, who is this mutant? Ha! I see “shrimp,” so he’s a diminutive human. I know, let’s say he’s short because he’s a young boy about 7 or 8 years old. (Of course, I could have made him a mutant crustacean who dwells on land, but I like having a child NPC better.) Next up is “shrewd.” This kid is cunning, sneaky, and with his size, he’d probably make a living as a thief or cutpurse, living on the streets using his wits. His mutation? Surprisingly, one of the words on this page is the name of an official Mutant Future mutation: “shriek.” If he’s caught during one of his midnight raids on the local merchant’s warehouse, he’ll use this vocal blast to deafen and disorient his captors. So we have young kid who’s learned to fend for himself as a child of the streets who possesses a powerful sonic blast ability when the going gets rough. How about another:

NPC 3
Page 717: "library paste – liege"
For this next one, we’ll make her a pure human. So in place of our Mutation word, we’ll use a second Drive word. Up near the top of the page is “library science,” so let’s say she lives in the ruins of an Ancient library, translating the texts and imparting wisdom to the nearby villages. Survivors come to her with questions (“How can I grow my crops in irradiated soil? What is this illness plaguing our village?”), and her research gives them the answers they desperately need. The post-apocalyptic villagers look upon her with awe and respect (and just a hint of fear). But the next word reveals her hidden secret: “lie.” This “scholar” actually cannot read the Ancient texts. But since no one else can read them either, she fakes her way through the translations, making up whatever she wants, using the pictures and sketches in the Ancient books to support her “facts.” What else drives her? Here’s a word for you: “lickerish.” It means “greedy, desirous.” Our librarian charges for each question asked, knowing that people only come to her if they’re desperate for a solution. Coins, food, rare tech, and other valuables are all accepted in exchange for her services. Those with nothing are either sent away or tasked with some dangerous quest to acquire something she wants. She probably earns enough to hire several mercenaries and goons to provide protection for her as well, as she knows it’s only a matter of time before someone discovers her secret and tries to end her gravy train.

There you have it. Three fairly-well fleshed-out NPCs all derived from 9 random words. Try it yourself and tell me what you think.

Disney's Gamma World? More Likely Than You Think...

The RPG blogosphere is starting to tremble with recent rumblings and rumors that Disney is in talks to buy Hasbro. I haven’t found anything concrete to confirm this other than the usual “iffy” online sources, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be true. After all, I never thought I’d see the day when the House of Mouse would own The X-Men, Spider-man, Darth Vader, and Indiana Jones, yet here we are.

Anyway, Hasbro’s subsidiary list is far reaching, as they in turn own Parker Brothers, Kenner, Milton Bradley, Playskool, Tiger Electronics, and Tonka. Yes, they will own your childhood. But here’s the twist: Hasbro also owns Wizards of the Coast, Avalon Hill, and TSR. So if Hasbro goes to Disney, they will officially own Dungeons and Dragons, Magic The Gathering, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Ravenloft, Dark Suns, and – yup – Gamma World. (Not to mention a bazillion other RPGs, games, and licenses to numerous to list here.)

It will be interesting to watch, to be sure. If this does happen, the question on every OSR fan and retrogame player should be “What will this mean for the Open Game License?” Disney is crazy-nuts-super-protective of its rights and products, so would they be able to overturn and/or end any further projects created under the OGL? Stay tuned…

Friday, November 2, 2012

Visit Occult Moon's Psi Village

Occult Moon has released their newest "Post-Apocalyptic Toy" in their running series of sandboxes for Armageddon-based RPGS.

Psi Village: In the days before the world came apart, a small group of psychics founded a research facility with a special crop of plants. These plants had given them their powers, and those powers had shown them what the scientists had in mind for them. Then the world ended, but these psychic refuges found a little place to call their own. Today the village still grows their special crops and tries to hide away from the rest of the world

This newest supplement is $1.99 and available on Drive Through RPG.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

NaGa DeMon Now Underway! And Here's My RPG Project...

And we're off!
I try to keep this blog on-target with new Mutant Future supplemental material or news of a "post-apocalyptic RPG" nature, but for this year's NaGa DeMon, I'm working on wrapping up an RPG I've been twiddling with for a few years that has nothing to do with mutants, radiation, or the Apocalygeddon. I'm quite pleased with the concept as it's an RPG setting that I don't believe has been addressed before. Here's the pitch:

****
There are more than 136 million items in the historical collections held by the Smithsonian Institute, scattered throughout 19 museums in Washington DC. Many of these items are culturally significant. Most are historically significant. And then there are the items kept under lock and key in the "Special Antiquities Collection."

These items are magically significant.

PCs are curators for the Smithsonian’s “Special Antiquities Collections Division” (SACD), a subdivision of the Smithsonian Institution Office of Protection Services. Their official job description is to “identify and acquire items of significant historical importance.” Their unofficial job description is to “investigate events of an unexplained nature, identify any items imbued with unearthly abilities, and retrieve/secure these items.”

Magic is all around us. Find it and lock it down.
****
I always loved the concept of a team of "Magical Item Retrieval Specialists" trying to secure some mystically-imbued bauble before it wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting public. There have been several TV shows focused on this very conceit, such as Warehouse 13, The Lost Room, The Librarian TV movies, and Friday the 13th: The Series. So, this November, I'll be working on bringing to life my vision for: