Dead in the Water (for MCC RPG)

Hello everyone!

If it seems that I have not posted in awhile, that because I have been caught up with real life — the bane of all RPG players.

I was working on another art project with Tim Snider and the final product came in my mailbox. Unlike the other projects, this one is for Goodman Games' Mutant Crawl Classic (instead of Mutant Future), and this one showcase a painting I did for him years ago on the cover (while working on the last Mutant Future-based supplement). I was so happy to see one of my pictures on the cover, I wanted to shout it from the rooftop, but them I remembered I have a Blog (pardon the dust... and cobwebs... and the old Christmas boxes... and the dead hookers).

 

 

The 16-page booklet — first featured at Gamehole Con in Madison, WI — is a simple "funnel adventure", for 12 to 16 zero-level characters. For those unfamiliar with Mutant Crawl Classic, as a standard rule, players start with multiple characters due to the high mortality rate at level-zero — once they gain a level, they play a single character with a class, and all the abilities that comes with it. If you cannot tell, where Mutant Future is the spiritual successor of 2nd ed. Gamma World, MCC feels like a successor of 4th ed. GW.

The adventure that takes place in The Rainbow Sea, on the legendary Island of Fire, where horrible mutants that stalk a local fishing village dwell! Your mission is to head out it the island and deal with these foul creatures.

Deviant Database 2.0 Teaser Art

Sniderman released another book of mutants in the second installment of the Deviant Database for the Mutant Future role-playing game. He needed some art, and I submitted four. This time around, a dozen artists came to his call. The Deviant Database 2.0 list over forty mutants, with most of them illustrated, a few even have two pics to them.

Here is a teaser of what I did, and soon I would add the pics to my DeviantArt gallery.

The mutants I drew (from top left to bottom right) are the Whorebeast, Mako, Bog Ghoul,  and Clotted One (AKA “Scab”).

I have been reading them on and off. So far, they are great! They would really keep the players on their toes.

Gamma World and Mad Max Don't Mix

One odd issue I have with how people (mostly artists) try to portray Gamma World, and by extension Mutant Future, is how people try to make it look and feel like a Mad Max movie. Now don't get me wrong, I like the '80s-glam, Mad Max-inspired style of post-apocalypses movies (including all the clones that came of it), but to me it is a poor fit. That is, what you look past all leather-clad bikers and over use of hairspray, it is largely a serious, hard-edge genre that relies on there being an apocalypses sometime in the near future. The ecosystems have collapsed to nuclear fallout, once civilized people look like malnourished people from a hard-hit Third World country, animals are so scarce, people are having to eat diseased rats, and it uses a lot of modern technology — especially guns and heavily modified “Road Warrior” cars. Given the desperate, hard-edge nature of this genre, I tend to call it “Rat-Eater” fiction. I even call the future scenes from The Terminator movies “Rat-Eater” segments.

Now, Gamma World has always been called out for being silly and goofy, but most people do not understand the nature of the setting. Gamma World was the product of the era of Silver Age of Comic Books (1950s-'70s). For those that don't know, the Silver Age of Comics was an era of dramatic super-science, strange scenarios, weird worlds, and lots of campy elements. To think of how this relates to Gamma World, imagine if the first edition was illustrated by Jack Kirby. Let that sink in for a second... This is the guy who took the basic outline of Planet of the Apes and turned it into Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, and turned the comic book adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey into a crazy-ass acid trip... More so then the end of movie. Gamma World takes place after the people of a Jetson-styled future blew themselves up. The aftermath was a world where green-glowing radiation gave people and wildlife comic book-like mutations. Imagine a world with anthropomorphic animals, plant-men, mobile sentient plants, three-tittied bimbos, people that would make the X-Men look quaint... All in a world littered with the ruins of a once super-technological civilization, engulfed by the growth of ever mutating ecosystems!

Why settle for just three? ;p

So yeah, they both have their cool aspects, but in the end, one is oil, and the other is... Well...? The Colour Out of Space. You can put some aspects of Gamma World into Rat-Eater, but it would loose its gritty, hard-edge feel. You can put some aspects of Rat-Eater into Gamma World, but they would quickly get overtaken by everything else. I mean, you could add leather-clad bikes with modern gear, but they would not stand a chance against all the mutants and tech-users that haunt such strange world such as Gamma World. On top of that, the Rat-Eater elements would just be seen as another odd element. That is, the leather-clad bikers would use high-tech gear (hover-bikes and blasters) and have leather-clad three-tittied bimbos with them. In other words, mothafuckin' Lobo!

Yeah, like that, but with the chick form the above pic.

The Metamorphica

 Last week, I ordered The Metamorphica from Lulu.com (here is the free copy, and here is the printed copy), and it came in yesterday. When I found out about it two weeks ago, and download it, it was something that I had to get, as an electronic copy dose not compare to a physical copy (dead-tree editions are good, but I would settle on the file, if I had an e-reader to read it from). As far as mutation/super-power lists go, this is the most extensive and versatile! This book is not bound to a single rule system, so it can be used in nearly any system, if you don't mind adding the rules for each mutation. Thankfully, many are superficial traits with little or no barrings to the rules. They are written like the descriptions from first edition Gamma World, but expunged of all mechanics, save for range and duration, and even still, they are listed on random tables. And there are lots and lots of random tables! The entire mutation list can be rolled by a single roll of a d1000 (like a normal d00/d% roll, but with an extra die for the hundreds), or rolled by categories, using more exotic rolls with bonuses in increments of hundreds (see below). The categories are:

1-200 Body: Form (d200)
201-400 Body: Function (d200+200, or d400 for both)
401-500 Mind: Behaviours (d100+400)
501-600 Mind:Cognition (d100+500, d200+400 for both, or d600 with all above)
601-700 Psychic Powers (d100+600, d300+400 with mind, or d700 will all above)
701-1000 Supernatural Attributes (d300+700, d400+600 with psychic, or d600+400 with psychic and mind)

Body: Form are the physical mutations that effect how you look, and makes you appear freakish. Body: Function are the physical mutations that effect how you use your body, but dose not always effect how you appear. Mind: Behaviours are the mental mutations that effect the way you think. As they are neurological impulsion and insanity, they can be used on normal people who have been exposed to stress... or eldrich forces! Mind: Cognition are the mental mutations that effect who your brain works. They work like natural talents or mental disabilities. Psychic Powers are paranormal mental mutations that provides control over other minds and physical states. Supernatural Attributes are paranormal abilities you would find with superheros and mythological creatures. The master table is easy to read, and notes the page numbers in a clear but subdued way. This method of indexing is a big plus.

Naturally, you will not find a 200-sided die for sale (as if the 100-sided gulf ball was not bad enough), but you can workout your own system of rolling. For example, you can roll a d200 by replacing the d10 for the '10s' with a d20. Something like a d300 (and no d30 at hand) you can roll d% normally, but with a d3 multiplier die (1 = +100; 2 = +200; 3 = +0 - the highest roll always gives nothing in this method).

Following this big list, there are a useful notes and charts in the four appendices. The first appendix has additional tables for this or that. This is great if you want to come up with strange, new creatures, or to full in some details from the master list, if you don't want to choose your own bodily form. Appendix 2 is good for making mutants, with an appearance change table, beneficial and detrimental mental and physical mutations, quick physical mutant features, and quick superhero powers. Appendix 3 has notes and a few tables for making a character by genre. They include lab-experiments you would see in an old B-move or video game, comic book superheroes, Gamma World-styled post-apocalyptic mutants, and the demonic aberrations you'll find in the old Realm of Chaos books from Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The last appendix has notes on making mutants by genotype. This includes Beastlings, Demons, Mutant Hordes, Mutant Plants, Uplifted Animals, and Xenobiology. The book ends with three pages of bibliography, that helped made the book. Naturally, most of these are role-playing books, but a number of them are works of fiction, with a good number of them being by H.P. Lovecraft.

The cover has an evocative image of a medusa-like woman, with tentacle-hair in place of snakes, and white all around. The interior art is simple, minimal and seem to serve as bookends for a chapter to fill what would otherwise be empty space. They are a mixed bag of styles, but are otherwise OK. The interior layout is simple, and without a lot of fancy fonts or decorations (boarders or fancy headers). The book is a softcover, digest-size book. Without rule content or a lot of artwork, the book packs A LOT for a 154 pages.

The Good: This is a highly indispensable supplement for any post-apocalypse science fantasy, superhero, space opera, pulp-horror, sword & sorcery, and mad-science themed games or settings. It is also well laid out. You would find more mutants than you'll know what to do with them!

The Bad: The lack of rules means you'll have to do a lot of paperwork, if they are not covered by the rules of your choice.

I can not highly recommend this book enough!

The Decimator

OK, this started as a one-note joke. So here I post it.

The Decimator

No. Enc.:	n/a
Movement:	120' (40')
Armor Class:	6
Hit Dice:	50 hp
Attacks:	1
Damage:	1d6 or target shrinks
Save:	L5
Morale:	n/a
Hoard Class:	none

The Decimator is an android fitted with a shrink-ray arm-cannon. Anyone hit by the ray must save vs energy, or get reduced to a tenth of it's original size, so a 6-foot man will shrink down to 7 inches (this is much better worked out in metric). The target has a tenth of it's original hit points, and counts have 10-points less of STR (minimum: 1) vs larger (normal-size) creatures. This can last for so many days, or is permanent (its up to the ML). They look like cheap knock-off (skinless) T-800 "Infiltrator" Terminators. They tend to cry in a loud, shrill voice: "Decimate! Decimate!" If you know where to find it, you can press a "suicide switch" (you must attack it, but it gets a free attack) that would set off incinerators, which would (literally) decimate the unit to nothing more then a single hand.

Someone with skill, can rig a defeated Decimator's arm-cannon and power-supply into portable shrink-ray cannon.

My Gaming Swag Has Arrived!

Awhile ago, I won a Mutant Future character design contest. Do to delays IRL (mostly from my end -- long story), I did not get it since yesterday. When the package arrived it was surprisingly heavy, and when I opened it, it was full of books and printouts. Blood Axe did say there was a surprise with the package, but it was more then I was expecting. What I got was:

• Metamorphosis Alpha Universe (MA 3rd edition)
• Fight On! Issue 12
• The Slayer's Guide to Kobolds
• Dungeon Crawl Classics #12 The Blackguard's Revenge
• Rotworld (printout)
• Labyrinth Lord Module: Idol of the Orcs (printout)
• Labyrinth Lord Module: Shadowbrook Manor (printout)
• Excavator Monthly Issue 3 (printout)

Before getting this book, I never opened a MA book. I have the 1st edition rules, but its a shabby print-out booklet I put together from a text-only document I found years ago (without page numbers or art, its hard to navigate). The 3rd edition book has added rules that really compliment the classic rules, like how you can boost your Weapon Class with a particular type of weapon after 10 kills using them. I'm still not keen on the alien invasion twist - mostly as an unnecessary element - but it still a great game.

The biggest surprise was Fight On! Issue 12. For a game 'zine, it is THICK! This issue is dedicated to James M. Ward, and has an article about Ward's involvement in the early years at TSR. It is full of fantastic articles, but one of the featured rules I like the most is Treasure Types, by Simon Bull. I seen the original post mouths ago, but I lost the link. I find this method much better then the dry old Treasure Type table.

Rotworld was a neat surprise, as I did not know (or just forgot) that Dan Proctor made a zombie apocalypses/survival horror RPG. It seems to be based on a game Dan required called Timemaster (I never seen this game, but I did know about it). I'm not a fan of table-based systems or attributes that double as a percentile number, but I find a lot of useful stuff in this game.

I already have the Dungeon Crawl Classic module from a box set I found at a book store, and the Kobold book was one of the Slayer's books I do not already have.

I have yet to read the last three books, as I'm pouring through the aforementioned books. I also have to get more plastic sheet sleeves and binders, as the printouts are loose one-sided sheets. This is not a problem, as I already go through a lot of plastic sleeves & binders, do to my artwork and game stuff.

Its going to be a busy week or two for me, as I enjoy reading game books as much an regular literature, so I am happy! =D

I Just Won a Mutant Future Contest

Blood Axe at Goblinoid Games forum held a contest in the Mutant Future sub-forum.

The rules are simple:

• "Post a cool character for Mutant Future with a picture and I will pick a winner."
• "Enter as many times as you like, but have a character with all stats & info, along with a picture."
• "[This] is only open to USA members."

Here is the prize:


Yes, a copy of Metamorphosis Alpha 25th Anniversary Edition.

I posted 6 entries, but this was the one Blood Axe liked:

Lergon, the "Many Hands"
Race: Mutant Human
Level: 6
Hit Points: 54
Armor Class: 6
THAC0: 15
Saves: Eng 13, P/D 10, Stun 12, Rad 11
Alignment: Chaotic

Attacks: 1/round, +0 to attack for melee and +1 to attack for missiles.
Damage: 1d6+1 w/spear or 1d4+1 w/daggers and 1d4 w/sling.

Strength: 11 (+1 level) (+0 to attack and +0 to damage)
Dexterity: 14 (+1 level) (+1 to missile attacks and initiative and -1 to armor class)
Constitution: 16 (+0 on poison saving throws)
Intelligence: 7 (-5% to technology; can write simple Trade words)
Willpower: 9 (+1 level)
Charisma: 7 (+1 level) (+1 to reaction rolls, 3 retainers at morale 6 each)

Mutations: Aberrant From - Extra Parts (8 arms); Bizarre Appearance (stubby arms - 3 baby-like), Control Light Waves; Greater Force Screen; Know Direction; Negative Empathy.

Equipment: Spear, 2 daggers, shield, sling w/20 stones, fur armor, bedroll, flint & steel, grappling hook, lantern, small steel mirror, 5 flasks of oil, 5 weeks of trail rations, 4 small sacks, 2 large sacks, 3 waterskins (2 water, 1 wine), 16 soup mixes, 7 light sticks, motion detector, 4 blood agent grenade launcher shells, 97 gp worth of assorted coins and scrap metal.

Lergon is a many-armed mutant with few friends. From a young age, he was an outcast of his tribe, so he had learned to survive on his own, and for it, he never developed a personality. The impulse that drives other to fight him, also makes him vary paranoid, and for the most part, he keeps quiet and introverted around others. When he do speak, its usually simple, short statements in Trade speak - a form of "Pidgin English". Beyond his emotional distance to others, he strongly desired to be loved. If he finds someone to love, who can tolerate his negative empathy, he would handle the relationship with obsession and petty jealousy. In his travels, he did befriend some adventures, but his impulsive behavior around women tend to cut things short.
________

He told me that "[he] captured that old school Gamma World feeling for me." I glad, as this is how I present characters in my games. I like my mutants to look freakish (Bizarre Appearance is a given in my games). I like them to be somewhat primitive (but not necessarily simpleminded). With PCs or NPCs, I like to make well-rounded characters, with personality traits and interesting character flaws.

By the way, the picture I chosen was from a french animated movie called Gandahar (or Light Years, in the US). This movie has a number of unique looking mutants, that are perfect for any Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, or Mutant Future game. Here are more pics, if anyone is interested.

Mutant Future for Atari

A while back, I made some Atari labels for Mutant Future. I never made any game graphics for them, as I can not ponder that could capture the awesomeness! The best I can think of, is a setup like Adventure or Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain (form Intellivision).

I have fond memories of my old Atari 2600 system, as a child, but once the Nintendo came out, there was no turning back. Beyond better graphics, the NES offered the level of challenge that I could not pass up. Many of those games where brutally unfair to gamers, and had problems that forced the players to think outside the box. Years later (around the mid-90s) I replayed them, but the NES made me so skilled and spoiled, that it became more of a novelty, then anything else.

This is the site for the Atari 2600 Label Maker, and these are what I made with it:











The only thing missing are fake screen shots for this imaginary game, but this is still good.

I like to thank James Maliszewski (from Grognardia) for showing me the link for Adventure! I have never played it until recently.

In my Atari years, I would have eventually flipped the game, but now, I had that game beat when I discovered the patterns, and flipped it (playing all difficulties, with both handicaps on and off) within a few hours. Its so funny killing the dragons with the bat, while its carrying the lance. In my mind's eye, I picture the hero (a blip on the screen) holding the bat by the wing-tip, while it flaps its other wing profusely, as it aimless waves the lance (the pointy stick) around. LOL

Symbiotic Brain Jelly

[I made this mutant based on a picture I found, made by Philippe “Caza” Cazaumayou. For folks that don't know, Caza did work for Métal Hurlant (Heavy Metal magazine), and he worked with film producer René Laloux, for the French movie Gandahar (aka Light Years). Gandahar has is own unique “transformes” (mutants)]

The mutation can makes for an interesting complications. If you can keep them from taking over you PC, then they can boost mutant's mental abilities.

Symbiotic Brain Jelly
No. Enc.: 1 (2d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement:
Swim: 90' (30')
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3
Attack: 1
Damage: (special)
Save: L2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: None

These mutant scyphozoa* dwell near bodies of water – both fresh and salt. They usually wait for some random creature to make their way to the water (to drink from it), so they can attach themselves to the creature, in order to find new sources of water. A successful attack results in the Brain Jelly attaching itself to the creature's head. The Brain Jelly may choke the creature (use what rules applies), or perch itself on the creatures skull in order to takeover the creature's mind (a mental attack is needed to resist). Mindless animals generally gives up without a fight, while intelligent creatures usually fight their control. Taking over a human (or some other civilized being) might make for so unusual situations, as Symbiotic Brain Jelly are usually ignorant of even the most basic of human customs. They generally rely on an animal's instincts to survive, and they suppress higher-order intelligence to keep the creature subjugated. So, a human might get controlled while bathing in the river, just to wander around naked (no sense of modesty), and eventually die of exposure after nightfall (ignorant to the fact that humans are not naturally insulated to cold weather). Some Brain Jellies learn to cooperate with intelligent beings, while some beings enjoy the powers that comes from these hosts. With such mutual control, the subjected being benefits from both creature's mutations, plus the Quickness mutation (the synergy of both minds) and the Defective Dual Cerebellum defect (the Brain Jelly being the “Hyde” brain). Androids and Mutant Plants cannot be controlled by these creatures.

Brain Jellies can see in all directions do to their many eyes, are invisible while underwater, and their skin is vulnerable to weak acids – like acetic acid (wine & vinegar) and citrus acid (lemon juice). Such acids are treated as acid attacks. MLs might consider giving them an extra (random) mental mutation, if it seems right, but how that stand, they can really enhance a mutant with offensive mental mutations.

Aberrant Form: extra parts (eyes), chameleon epidermis (only in water), dwarfism (1'), metaconcert, neural telepathy, possession (contact only), epidermal susceptibility (weak acids).

The topless chick is for display purposes only – the boobs are just a plus. ;P

*yes, I know it the technical term for jellyfish (Latin for bowl), but it sounds like a cool name for a giant kaiju monster, that is not necessarily a giant monster jellyfish. Godzilla vs Scyphozoa! How cool is that?