Category Archives: Games

BoL Character: Paragon

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of Lemuria character he put together based on the theoretical protagonist of the classic pinball games Lost World and Paragon.

Descending from the cave cities of the Golden Cliffs, to challenge the dragons of Pal, comes Paragon! Cursed with a chaotic touch of blood madness by the demon Gorgar after defeating the denizens of the Valley of Demons, Paragon stands out from the rest of humanity due to his powerful bat-like wings.

At the edge of the great waterfall, Paragon saved the life of Princess Balli, rescuing her from the slavering jaws of The Beast. Now, despite the reticence of King Faris, Paragon serves as her personal champion (and consort, oh yeah).

What bold adventures will Paragon face in the future? Will the king tire of his daughter’s infatuation with the untamed barbarian? None can say, except perhaps for the foul Gorgar, who still has plans for the bat-winged warrior…

Paragon / Lifeblood 14 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Barbarian 2, Tracker 1, Champion 1, Noble 0
Boons: Flight (Bat Wings), Hard to Kill
Flaws: Berserker Rage
Languages: Golclish, Pallian
Equipment: Sword (d6+2), Battle Axe (d6+4), Light armor, d3 (Battle Harness, Helmet)

Mini Six Character: Meudwy Caerwyn

Wherein your humble scribe presents an NPC for Anglia – the 100 Years War/Dark Fairy Tale England setting he busted out on the unsuspecting Mini Six players a few weeks back. Will anything further come of it? Who the hell knows? 🙂

Meudwy Caerwyn, or Caerwyn the Hermit, makes his home in a cave nearly a day’s walk east of Dinas Tylluan. This strange old man – not unfriendly, just very odd – avoids the company of men whenever possible, preferring instead to spend his days talking with the beasts and birds of the valley. He hunts when necessary, but more often subsists on hearty root vegetables he finds in the nearby forest. Caerwyn loves to tell the story of the time he mistook the fairy ring for regular mushrooms and the bickering that took place amongst the pixies when they found their meeting place had become a delectable stew. The hermit doesn’t quite know how close he came to death that night, which might explain why he sleeps so well at night.

Meudwy Caerwyn
Hermit Mage Dinas Tylluan
Might 2D+1 Agility 3D+1
Wit 4D Charm 1D+1
Skills: Stamina 3D, Bow 3D+2, Dodge 4D+1, Magic 5D, Language: Fey 4D+1, Tracking 4D+1, Hunting 4D+1,
Perks: Sorcerer
Complications: Mad as a hatter
Gear: Bow (2D+2), Knife (2D)
Static: Dodge 13, Block 7, Parry 7
Strength Damage: 1D
Body Points: 32
Armor: Heavy Furs (2)
Spells: Beast Tongue, Heal

Fight On! #12 Is Out

Hey, look! Fight On! #12 is out. Yours truly just happens to have an article in this one. It’s my full(er) treatment of Planet of the Apes style apes as a race/class for Mutant Future.

This issue is dedicated to James M. Ward of Metamorphosis Alpha (and countless other things) fame, so its 88 pages are chock full of mutants, androids, robots, pure strain humans, and god knows what else. There’s a bunch of Rules variants, tables, adventures large and small, science fiction and fantasy, races, classes, monsters, spells, magic items, NPCs, history, opinion, and lore in there, so consider grabbing it. The fact that your humble scribe has a piece contained within is just an added bonus 🙂

Happy Birthday, Neptune!

Neptune as seen by Voyager 2 (image from NASA)

As of today, Neptune – my second favorite planet (of the ones upon which I do not live) – marks the completion of its first full orbit around the sun since our earthly eyes discovered its existence. It’s a cool “Hooray science & mathematics!” type of story, if you don’t know it.

I hope El Santo Negro and some other brave luchas will save us from the Neptunian MonsterMen if they ever show up!

Mini Six Character: Eldryn of Kent

A hardened veteran of many campaigns against the French, Eldryn of Kent settled down upon reaching his 46th year and now serves as a the captain of the guard for the inland trade center of Creighton. The sandy-haired, grey-eyed Eldryn possesses a few scars, but his handsome features remain mostly as they appeared when he was a younger man. Though unmarried, he enjoys the attentions of many of Creighton’s wealthier merchant’s daughters. An accomplished soldier and leader of men, it is generally assumed that Eldryn will eventually be named mayor of the town. Even those who should by all rights despise the man find that they are instead completely taken with him. How it is he came to know so much of the language of the fairies of the wood is a story even the gregarious captain himself never seems to get around to sharing.

Eldryn of Kent
Captain of the Guard in Creighton, Anglia
Might 2D+2 Agility 2D+2
Wit 2D+2 Charm 3D
Skills: Lifting 3D, Dodge 3D, Brawling 3D, Sword 3D+2, Longbow 3D+2, Riding 3D, Military Scholar 3D+2, Healing 3D, Language: Fey 3D, Command 4D
Perks: None
Complications: None
Gear: Longsword (4D+2), Longbow (4D+2)
Static: Dodge 9 (10), Block 8 (9), Parry 11 (12)
Strength Damage: 2D
Body Points: 30
Armor: Chainmail (+6) , Shield (+1 to static defenses)

00(D)6: Mini Six Meets 80s Spies

Double-oh-six gets a bad rap, thanks to the character of Alexander “Alec” Trevelyan in GoldenEye. But before and after that particular era there have certainly been other “good” Agents identified as 006. So let’s not damn the number out of existence. Especially when it works so very nicely as a key piece of the title for this implementation of Mini Six as an engine for enjoying 80s-style spy action adventures.

What’s that? You don’t know Mini Six? Well go grab a copy from AntiPaladin Games and then come back here. I’ll wait…

One can, of course, use this setting hack for other popular espionage eras – like the swinging 60s, the spacey 70s, the gritty 00s, and so forth. Or maybe you want to explore the adventures of spies in service of the Crown in WWII, WWI or even earlier. All you’d really need to do is monkey with the available equipment. But such changes and considerations are all outside the scope of 00(D)6 as it is written today.

A Quick Note: In addition to the obvious sources, this hack of Mini Six is inspired by such great RPGs as Victory Games’ James Bond 007: Role-Playing In Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Hero Games’ Espionage! and Danger International, Flying Buffalo’s Mercenaries, Spies, And Private Eyes and TSR’s Top Secret. If you’re not familiar with any of those games, consider tracking down a copy. eBay often has JBRPG, Top Secret, and the Hero Games offerings, while MSPE is actually still in print from Flying Buffalo.

Attributes

00(D)6 uses the standard Mini Six attributes: Might, Agility, Wit, and Charm.

Skills

00(D)6 relies largely on skills found in Mini Six, with some switching around underneath “parent” attributes and the addition of some from D6 Adventure and other Open D6 sources. If you haven’t downloaded those free sources of gaming goodness yet, you really ought to. You might just find something that makes you smile.

Might
Lifting, Stamina, Swimming, Climbing, Running, Jumping

Agility
Acrobatics, Unarmed Combat, Guns, Melee Combat, Bows, Stealth, Shadowing, Driving, Boating, Dodge, Throwing, Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand

Wit
Investigation, Gambling, Language, Business, Demolitions, Forgery, Computers, Medicine, Knowledge, Repair, Search, Tech, Survival, Tracking, Pilot, Breaking & Entering

Charm
Seduction, Fast Talk, Persuasion, Acting, Streetwise, Society, Animal Handling, Command, Disguise, Intimidation, Riding

Perks

Most of the non-racial and non-esoteric perks from Mini Six should work just fine in 00(D)6. Here are a few more that are particularly well-suited to the genre.

License To Kill (1) – You are a 00-rated agent, who is licensed to eliminate enemies with extreme prejudice. Over-use of this privilege will result in a similarly-rated individual being assigned to “straighten you out.” Without this perk, you may quickly run afoul of the law if you’re the trigger happy sort.

Diplomatic Immunity (2) – You are a member of the diplomatic corps of a country other than the one you currently reside in. You cannot be easily prosecuted for minor- to mid-level law breaking, though you can still be detained for questioning in relation to criminal activity.

Contacts (1) – You know people. They might even have answers to specific questions, if you can get in touch with them.

Gadgets (3) – You have a small number (4 max) of limited use (3 times, max) gadgets. These can be small disguised weapons (typically doing no more than 2D damage), tracking devices, listening devices, and so on. The GM is the final arbiter of what any individual gadget can do.

Complications

Many of the complications found in Mini Six are quite appropriate for 00(D)6. Here is one more that fit nicely.

Duty – You serve a greater organization, and are bound to act in its best interests at all times. Failure to do so will cause you great difficulties ranging from a loss of privileges to, perhaps, execution. Mind your p’s and q’s.

Equipment

Here’s a brief list of common weapons your 00(D)6 Agents might use (or have used against them).

.38 Revolver 4D (5/10/15)
.45 Revolver 4D+1 (15/30/35)
.357 Magnum 5D (20/35/50)
9mm PPK 3D (7/14/21)
9mm Glock 3D+2 (8/16/24)
M1 Carbine 5D+1 (45/450/600)
AK-47* 6D (45/85/170)
Uzi* 3D+2 (20/40/60)
Razor Brimmed Throwing Hat +2D (5/10/15)
Speargun 4D (10/20/30)
Rapier +2D
Knife +1D
Bullwhip +1D
Hidden Shoe Dagger +2
Brass Knuckles +1D+1

Additional & Optional Rules

A couple of simple rules additions are needed to make Mini Six into 00(D)6:

Automatic weapons: Some weapons (marked with an asterisk in the Weapons List above) are capable of automatic fire. By default it is assumed that these weapons will be used to fire more than a single shot at a target, and the damage for each weapon is presented with that in mind. If an Agent opts to fire only a single shot, reduce the damage done by 2D. If an Agent chooses to “empty the clip” at a target, grant a +6 to hit bonus and increase the damage done by a successful attack by 2D. Agents who choose this option may not perform any other actions in a round and suffer a −3 penalty to their Static Dodge (the only defense allowed) for the duration of the round.
Multiple Shots: Non-autofire guns (those not marked with an asterisk) are typically able to fire multiple times in a round. Additional shots may be taken at a single target granting a +3 to hit bonus and +1D damage on a successful hit. This option does not count as multiple actions. Shooting at multiple targets (up to 3, maximum) in a round still counts as multiple actions, however, and no bonuses are received to this mode of attacking.
Ammunition: In general, assume that “enough ammo” is available for any particular firefight. In the case of a combat roll that is 5 less than the number needed to hit when a “1” is rolled on the Wild Die, declare that the shooter has either run out of ammunition or that the weapon has jammed and is useless for the rest of the combat. You may also want to declare that all ammo has been spent in the case of a successful attack that exceeds the number required to hit by 10 if a “1” is rolled on the Wild Die.
Gadgets: As noted in the Advantage of the same name above, 00(D)6 Agents are often equipped with nifty gadgets that let them sneak weapons into unlikely situations, monitor their enemies at a distance, or otherwise accomplish things that might not otherwise be possible. In general, the GM should allow Agents to get away with little things that serve the story, but not game-breaking actions. One of the best ways to handle this is to make sure than any gadgets are written down in advance of play and that each gadget only be useable a small number of times before it breaks or is depleted. Remember that these gadgets are always the property of the Agency and their misuse will be frowned upon.

In addition, the following Mini Six optional rules are used in 00(D)6:

Body Points instead of Wounds
Traditional Open D6 Might Damage
High Rolls increase damage: For every full 5 points an attack succeeds by, increase damage dealt by 1

Adventure Seeds

Just in case you’re stumped when it comes to what to have your Agents chasing across the globe for, consider these starting points.

Several agents have turned up dead in a major city known as a hotbed of espionage activity. The gloves are off and its time to take down the aggressor. But it’s quite likely that not everything is as it seems.
A megalomaniacal CEO is suspected of arranging the theft of numerous priceless works of art. Is he simply collecting these? Or is he selling them on the black market to fund some other nefarious goal?
A NATO general is believed to be conspiring with his opposite number in the Eastern Bloc to bring about a war by destroying major world landmarks. This madness must be stopped!

For a proper 00(D)6 mission, your Agents should probably visit no fewer than 4 locations across the globe. Remember, the Agency is picking up the airfare, so don’t be shy about jetting about!

You might also want to start any given game of 00(D)6 off in medias res as your Agents finish up their previous assignment. Of course, then you’d be at a minimum of 5 locations, but budget is no constraint when it comes to these stories, people!

Potential Antagonists

Soldier/Policeman
Trained Combatants
Might 3D Agility 3D Wit 2D Charm 2D
Skills: Lifting 4D, Stamina 4D, Unarmed Combat 4D, Guns 4D, Command 3D
Perks: None
Static: Dodge 9, Block 12, Parry 9
Might Damage: 2D
Equipment: Carbine (5D+1) or Revolver (4D)
Body Points 32

Thug
Poorly-Paid Muscle
Might 3D+2 Agility 2D+2 Wit 1D+2 Charm 1D+2
Skills: Lifting 4D+2, Stamina 4D+2, Unarmed Combat 3D+2, Guns 3D+2, Intimidate 2D+2, Breaking & Entering 2D+2, Demolitions 2D
Perks: None
Might Damage: 2D
Static: Dodge 8, Block 11, Parry 8
Equipment: 9mm Glock (3D+2) or Uzi (3D+2)
Body Points 34

Henchman
Technician/Scientist/Etc.
Might 2D+1 Agility 2D+2 Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Guns 3D, Dodge 3D, Computers 3D+2, Medicine 3D, Tech 3D+2, Repair 3D+2, Forgery 3D+2
Perks: None
Might Damage: 1D
Static: Dodge 8, Block 7, Parry 7
Equipment: 9mm Glock (3D+2)
Body Points 29

Bodyguard
Elite Defender & Right-Hand Man
Might 3D+2 Agility 2D+2 Wit 2D+1 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Lifting 5D, Stamina 4D+2, Dodge 3D+2, Throwing 4D+2, Unarmed Combat 3D+2, Intimidation 3D+1, Command 3D+1, Demolitions 2D+2
Perks: None
Might Damage: 3D
Static: Dodge 11, Block 11, Parry 11
Equipment: Razor Brimmed Throwing Hat (4D)
Body Points 34

Assassin
A Beautiful And Deadly Professional Killer
Might 2D Agility 4D Wit 2D+2 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Dodge 5D, Guns 4D+2, Unarmed Combat 5D, Melee Combat 4D+1, Language: French 3D+2, Seduction 4D+1, Persuasion 4D+1, Breaking & Entering 3D, Disguise 4D
Perks: None
Might Damage: 1D
Static: Dodge 15, Block 15, Parry 13
Equipment: Rapier (3D), Knife (2D)
Body Points 28

Secret Agent
Your Opposite Number – Or Perhaps An Ally Gone Rogue
Might 3D+1 Agility 3D+1 Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+2
Skills: Stamina 3D+2, Lifting 4D, Dodge 4D, Guns 4D+1, Unarmed Combat 4D, Stealth 3D+2, Gambling 4D+2, Seduction 4D, Persuasion 4D, Disguise 4D, Society 4D, Streetwise 4D, Investigation 4D
Perks: License to Kill, Gadgets
Might Damage: 2D
Static: Dodge 12, Block 12, Parry 10
Equipment: 9mm PPK (3D)
Body Points 34

Mini Six: Mini Bushi(D6)o

This is a quick tweaking of Mini Six to emulate the old Fantasy Games Unlimited RPG, Bushido. If you’re not familiar with Bushido, click that link in the previous sentence and grab a copy of the PDF. You’ll find it worth having if you want to do any “fantasy Japan” roleplaying.

Like many an old-school RPG, Bushido is class-based, and to a certain extend I’ve tried to preserve those distinctions a bit by way of Perks & Complications. But the strength of Mini Six (and other non-class-based games, old and new) is that it doesn’t pigeonhole you. So if you want to play a courtly Samurai who doesn’t fight well, or a Yakuza who dabbles in magic, or any other “non-standard” character type, go for it.

And now, without further ado, here’s the game info for Mini Bushi(D6)o.

Attributes

Mini Bushi(D6)o uses the standard four attributes found in Mini Six: Might, Agility, Wit, and Charm.

Skills

Mini Bushi(D6)o relies mostly on the skills presented in Mini Six, though quite a few have been shuffled around under the “parent” attributes and a few new ones have been added. For more info on those added skills (if you need such a thing) you would do well to grab a copy of the freely-available D6 Fantasy.

Might
Climbing, Lifting, Running, Stamina, Swimming, Toughness

Agility
Acrobatics, Axe, Bow, Club, Dodge, Lockpicking, Nunchaku, Pole Weapon, Riding, Sai, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Sword/Knife, Throwing, Unarmed Combat

Wit
Artist, Calligraphy, Cultural Scholar, Gambling, Healing, Magic, Military Scholar, Navigation, Reading/Writing, Search, Survival, Tracking, Traps

Charm
Animal Handling, Bluff, Command, Disguise, Etiquette, Intimidation, Persuasion, Streetwise, Tea Ceremony, Trading

Perks & Complications

Perks
Any of the non-racial & non-esoteric Perks in Mini Six should be fine in Mini Bushi(D6)o. The Sorcerer Perk is available, see the Magic section below for more information on taking this Perk.

A few additional perks designed for the genre are outlined below.

Daisho (2) – You have mastered the art of wielding the katana & the wakizashi simultaneously. Though you still suffer a multiple action penalty when making more than one attack in a round, you receive +2 to each attack so long as you attack at least once with your katana and once with your wakizashi. You receive no bonus when attacking with only one weapon, or when making multiple attacks with a single weapon.

I Am Ninja! (2) – You receive +1 to all stealth, climbing, and traps rolls.

Nunchaku-te (2) – You have mastered the art of wielding two nunchaku simultaneously. Though you still suffer a multiple action penalty when making more than one attack in a round, you receive +2 to each attack so long as you are armed with two nunchaku. You receive no bonus when attacking with only one weapon, or when making multiple attacks with a single weapon.

I Am Yakuza! (2) – You receive +1 to all gambling, intimidation, and streetwise rolls.

Complications
Many of the Complications found in Mini Six will work just fine for Mini Bushi(D6)o characters, though it’s up to the GM to approve any selected Complications. Below are a few more to choose from that are specific to Mini Bushi(D6)o.

Note that outside of the Shugenja & Gakusho Codes, none of these are required for any function or ability. Though a Samurai or Ninja who fails to observe even the most basic tenets of his or her “class” will surely find him- or herself in deep trouble.

Samurai Code – Death before dishonor or defeat. Serve your Daimyo loyally and well. Take no unfair advantage.

Yakuza Code – Help yourself, but also help the people of the land. Your tattoos are a badge of honor. Accept no insult lightly.

Ninja Code – Silence, discretion, honor, loyalty. All must be adhered to. Reveal no secrets of the Ninja, no matter the personal cost.

Gakusho Code – You are bound to increase your own spiritual enlightenment and tend to the salvation and protection of your fellow men. Behave accordingly.

Budoka Code – Perfection in body, mind, and spirit are achieved through hard work and constant training. Follow the teachings of Buddha and defend the oppressed.

Shugenja Code – Study and knowledge are the most important thing. Earthly possessions are a drain upon your powers, shun them except where necessary.

Equipment

Weapons

Swords & Knives
Katana +2D+2 or +3D (1-handed or 2-handed)
Wakizashi +1D+2
No-dachi 3D+2
Ninja-to +2D+1
Tanto +1D

Pole Arms
Naginata +3D
Yari +2D

Axes
Kama +1D+2
Masakari +2D+1
Ono +3D+1

Bows & Thrown Weapons
Dai-kyu +2D+2 (10/100/250)
Han-kyu +1D+2 (10/100/250)
Shuriken +1D (5/10/15)

Club-like Weapons
Bo Stick +1D+1
Jo Staff +1D+2
Kiseru +1D+1
Tessen +1D+1 (+2 bonus to parry attempts)
Tetsubo +4D (-5 penalty to hit if used by someone with Might less than 4)
Tonfa +1D+1 (may use “Block” defense with no danger of being damaged)

Unusual Weapons
Nunchaku +1D+2
Sai +1D+1 (+5 bonus to disarm attempts)

Armor

Most folks in Mini Bushi(D6)o do not wear armor. And warrior types typically only wear it when directly headed into battle. Armor types found throughout Nippon include:

Quilted/Heavy Silks (+2)
Samurai Court Attire (+3)
Light Ashigaru Armor (+4)
Light Samurai Armor (+5)
Heavy Ashigaru Armor (+7)
Heavy Samurai Armor (+9)

Shields

Shields are not commonly used in Nippon. When they are, they increase the user’s static defense scores by +1 or +2, depending upon their size.

Magic

Mini Bushi(D6)o uses the Simple Magic System from Mini Six with the following notes:

In addition to taking the Sorcerer advantage, either the Shugenja Code or Gakusho Code complication must be taken.
Shugenja may only cast these spells: Animal Growth, Animate Dead, Beast Tongue, Charm, Clairvoyance, Conjure Elemental, Dark Vision, Death Spell, Dispel Magic, ESP, Fly, Growth, Hasten, Illusions, Invisibility, Lightning Bolt, Petrify, Shape Change, Slumber, Telekinesis, Teleport
Gakusho may only cast these spells: Bless, Control Weather, Curse, Dispel Magic, Divination, Earthquake, Heal, Light, Paralysis, Possession, Resist Elements, Resurrection, See Magic Aura, Still Mind

Special/Optional Rules

Body Points instead of Wound Levels
Traditional Open D6 Might Damage (i.e., 1/2 Might or Lifting, round up)
Attributes may be purchased up to 5D, but all pips/dice over 4 cost double
High rolls increase damage: For every full 3 points an attack roll succeeds by, add 1 to the damage of the attack.

Adventure Seeds

Azu-Mamaro, the Bakemono-kunshu ruler of a small kingdom in the rugged mountains to the north, seeks honorable humans to deliver his tribute to the Emperor. Other Bakemono-kunshu are dubious of Azu-Mamaro’s attempts to curry favor with the human ruler and are likely to send their own forces to interfere.
War is coming to Okibu Province! The forces of the Nakayama Clan are gathering near the borders and Daimyo Nakayama Yosuke has his eyes on the throne of Watanabe Castle. Lady Watanabe Euiko has requested that you take the daisho of retired samurai Murakami Shoichi, once the master strategist of Lord Watanabe’s army, to his hermitage deep within the high forest and convince him to return and lead the Watanabe forces as they seek to defend their Daimyo’s lands against the depredations of the Nakayama barbarians.
A group of unsavory bandits – led by a fearless ronin called Red Stone of the East – has been disrupting vital trade between Nagato Province and the rest of the island. The local Yakuza are have requested your help in handling this menace. For the benefit of the people, of course.

Example Characters

Here are a handful of common “heroic level” NPCs. Trimming some Attribute Dice or Skill Dice from these would yield more common opponents.

A Serious Samurai
Might 4D Agility 3D+1 Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D
Skills: Lifting 5D, Dodge 4D, Military Scholar 3D, Sword 4D+1, Kyu 4D, Tea Ceremony 2D+1 (6)
Perks: Daisho
Complications: Samurai Code
Strength Damage: 3D
Static: Dodge 12, Block 12, Parry 13
Body Points: 36
Equipment: Katana (+2D+2/+3D), Wakizashi (+1D+2), Light Samurai Armor (5)

A Drunken Ronin
Might 4D Agility 3D+1 Wit 2D+1 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Lifting 5D, Toughness 5D, Dodge 4D+1, Sword 5D, Gambling 3D, Survival 3D, Streetwise 2D+2, Intimidation 2D+2
Perks: Favors
Complications: Unlucky In Money
Strength Damage: 3D
Static: Dodge 13, Block 12, Parry 15
Body Points: 40
Equipment: No-Dachi (+3D+2), Heavy Silks (2)

A Cowardly Ashigaru
Might 3D Agility 3D+2 Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D+2
Skills: Lifting 4D, Dodge 5D+2, Pole Arms 5D, Military Scholar 3D, Gambling 3D, Healing 3D, Survival 3D+1, Tracking 3D, Trading 3D, Charm 3D
Perks: None
Complications: Cowardly
Strength Damage: 3D
Static: Dodge 17, Block 9, Parry 15
Body Points: 32
Equipment: Yari (+2D), Light Ashigaru Armor (4)

A Noble Budoka
Might 3D Agility 4D Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Toughness 3D+1, Unarmed Combat 5D+2, Nunchaku 5D, Dodge 5D, Cultural Scholar 3D, Healing 3D, Command 2D+2
Perks: Nunchaku-te
Complications: Budoka Code
Strength Damage: 2D
Static: Dodge 15, Block 17, Parry 15
Body Points: 33
Equipment: Nunchaku X2 (+1D+2)

A Mysterious Shugenja
Might 2D Agility 3D+1 Wit 4D Charm 2D+2
Skills: Magic 6D, Cultural Scholar 4D+1, Read/Write 4D+1, Dodge 3D+2
Perks: Sorcerer, Recall
Complications: Shugenja Code
Strength Damage: 1D
Static: Dodge 11, Block 6, Parry 6
Body Points: 28
Equipment: Jo Staff (+1D+2)
Spells: Animate Dead, Conjure Elemental, Illusions, Telekinesis

A Benevolent Gakusho
Might 2D+2 Agility 2D+1 Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Club 4D+1, Magic 4D+2, Cultural Scholar 4D+2, Healing 4D+2, Charm 3D+2, Etiquette 3D+2, Persuasion 3D+2
Perks: Sorcerer
Complications: Gakusho Code
Strength Damage: 2D
Static: Dodge 7, Block 8, Parry 13 (15 w/ Tessen)
Body Points 30
Equipment: Tessen (+1D+1), Heavy Silks (2)
Spells: Bless, Dispel Magic

An Honest Yakuza
Might 2D+1 Agility 2D+2 Wit 3D+1 Charm 3D+2
Skills: Club 3D+2, Gambling 4D+1, Streetwise 4D+2, Dodge3D, Lockpicking 3D, Bluff 4D+1, Persuade 4D+1
Perks: I Am Yakuza!
Complications: Yakuza Code
Strength Damage: 1D
Static: Dodge 9, Block 7, Parry 11
Body: Points 29
Equipment: Kiseru (+1D+1)

A Nearly Invisible Ninja
Might 2D+2 Agility 4D Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D+2
Skills: Climbing 3D, Acrobatics 4D+1, Stealth 5D+2, Sword 4D+2, Throwing 4D+1, Dodge 5D, Traps 3D, Disguise 3D
Perks: I Am Ninja!
Complications: Nina Code
Strength Damage: 1D
Static: Dodge 15, Block 8, Parry 14
Body Points: 30
Equipment: Ninja-to (+2D+1), 6 Shuriken (+1D)

Bestiary

Here are write-ups for a few classic supernatural foes from Japanese legend. Consult Bushido for more examples. Or check out the video game Okami for some very interesting enemy ideas.

Kappa (Scale 0)
Cucumber-loving & malicious!
Might 4D Agility 1D+1 (4D in water) Wit 2D Charm 1D+1
Skills: Unarmed Combat 5D+1, Swimming 7D, Toughness 5D, Traps 2D+1
Perks: Shell Armor (6)
Static: Dodge 4(12), Block 16, Parry 12
Body Points 40, Armor 6

Bakemono-sho (Scale 0)
Goblin Ashugaru
Might 2D+2 Agility 2D+1 Wit 1D+2 Charm 1D+1
Skills: Sword 3D, Dodge 3D, Bow 2D+2, Stealth 3D
Perks: None
Static: Dodge 9, Block 6, Parry 9
Equipment: Wakizashi (+1D+2), Han-kyu (+1D+2)
Body Points 30, Armor 4

Dai-bakemono (Scale 0D)
Goblin Samurai
Might 4D Agility 2D+2 Wit 2D+2 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Sword 3D+2, Cultural Scholar 3D+2, Dodge 3D+2, Military Scholar 3D+2
Perks: None
Static: Dodge 11, Block 11, Parry 11
Equipment: No-dachi (+3D+2) or Tetsubo (+4D)
Body Points 36, Armor 5

Bakemono-kunshu (Scale 0D)
Goblin Daimyo
Might 4D+1 Agility 3D Wit 3D+1 Charm 3D
Skills: Sword 5D, Cultural Scholar 4D+1, Military Scholar 4D+1, Magic 4D+1
Perks: Sorcerer, Daisho
Static: Dodge 9, Block 13, Parry 15
Equipment: Katana (+2D+2/+3D), Wakizashi +1D+2
Body Points 37, Armor 9
Spells: Fly, Illusions

O-Bakemono (Scale +2D)
Big dumb ogres
Might 6D Agility 2D Wit 1D Charm 1D
Skills: Toughness 8D, Club 3D, Survival 1D+2, Tracking 1D+1, Animal Handling 1D+2, Intimidation 3D
Perks: None
Static: Dodge 6, Block 18, Parry 9
Equipment: Really Big Club (+4D)
Body Points 52, Armor 2

Tengu (Scale 0D)
Crow Spirits
Might 4D+1 Agility 4D+2 Wit 4D+2 Charm 4D+1
Skills: Sword 5D+1, Dodge 5D+2, Magic 6D+2
Perks: Sorcerer, Flying
Static: Dodge 17, Block 13, Parry 16
Equipment: Fine Katana (+3D)
Body Points 37, Armor 4
Spells: Charm, Control Weather, Illusion, Invisibility, Shape Change, Teleport

Crimson Shoals (A BoL/BRP Adventure)

Turning his talented eye from the Lovecraftian to the Howardian, regular Strange Stones reader and accomplished adventure author G-Man give us something new to chew on:

Crimson Shoals (19812 downloads )

Wind-driven rain pounds the dark outcroppings of reef, churning the nearby shoals into froth. Despite the gloom, occasional lightning flashes reveal a small forest of splintered ship’s masts, shattered keels, and barnacle-encrusted hulls. This watery hell is a ship’s graveyard!

Less than a quarter-league’s walk (or swim) looms the silhouette of a massive war-galley. But this is no Argossean or Zingaran vessel: the swept-back stern, low draught, and curving prow mark the craft as Stygian. Why is she beached here, in the Western Ocean, and not cruising the calmer waters of the Styx? Doubtless, the answer lies somewhere below her dark decks…

As with his immensely popular The Unholy Greyl (30837 downloads ) , The Sea Devil's Debutante (26369 downloads ) , and Children Of The Void (22329 downloads ) adventures, Crimson Shoals (19812 downloads ) is written for Barbarians of Lemuria and contains several new monsters, some treasures, and other goodness you just can’t live without.

Unlike his three previous adventures, Crimson Shoals (19812 downloads ) contains stats and writeups for all of the key NPCs and mosters in Basic RolePlaying format as well. How’s that for some fancy?

Great Crom, people! Why are you still reading this drivel I’m writing? Download Crimson Shoals (19812 downloads ) already and get yer Hyborian on!

Bushi(D6)o

So, combining my recent interest in Mini Six/Open D6 and my never-ending desire to make a samurai game out of whatever I’m poking at at the moment (I’ve been down this road before, haven’t I?) here’s a couple of Mini Six characters who wouldn’t be out of place in a game of Bushido.

Kuroda Heizo
A very serious samurai
Might 4D Agility 3D
Wit 3D+1 Charm 1D+2
Skills: Stamina 5D, Daisho 4D, Tanto 3D+1, Han-kyu 3D+1, Naginata 3D+1, Riding 4D, Tactics 4D+2, Calligraphy 4D+2, Tea Ceremony 2D+2
Perks: None
Complications: Samurai Code
Gear: Katana (4D+2/5D), Wakizashi (3D+2), Tanto (3D)
Static: Dodge 9, Block 9, Parry 15
Body Points: 36
Armor: Heavy Samurai Armor (9)

Takahama Miiko
A charming yakuza
Might 1D+2 Agility 3D+1
Wit 3D+1 Charm 3D+2
Skills: Kiseru 3D+2, Unarmed Combat 3D+2, Dodge 4D+1, Trading 4D+1, Gambling 4D+1, Bluff 4D, Charm 4D, Intimidation 4D, Persuasion 4D
Perks: Attractive, Favors
Complications: Yakuza Code
Gear: Kiseru (2D+1)
Static: Dodge 13, Block 11, Parry 11
Body Points: 26
Armor: Heavy Silks (2)

I’m using the skills straight out of D6 Fantasy at this point, rather than the slimmed down lists found in Mini Six. I think I’m falling into the “use core D6 for most things, use the static defenses and simplified wild die from Mini Six though” camp the more I poke at this stuff. Which is, of course, my prerogative 🙂 Goodness, I love toolkit games.

Mini Six Works Like A Charm

I ran Mini Six for the first time last weekend and it was good. Everyone – even the “not really RPG dorks” in the group – grokked the task/combat resolution mechanics within minutes.

The speed and simplicity of character creation was greatly appreciated by a couple of folks who like to play, but don’t get off on more involved character creation (like the way BRP can feel, when you’re divvying up 300-odd points across a large selection of skills).

Everything flowed smoothly, and though one character died, a replacement was easily created (and subsequently slotted in) while the rest of us completed the combat that killed said unlucky bastard. A Hero Point was spent to do a little dramatic/environmental editing, the new character was introduced, and the adventure kept on rolling.

Oh, and during the combat we had a super explosion of the Wild Die, ultimately yielding a result of 55 on an attack roll. I had that hit bypass the poor target’s armor because, well, it just felt right to give *some* kind of bonus for that insane a roll.

After we were done, the players all remarked on how much the appreciated the ease of the game system and – this probably can’t be stressed enough – the simplicity of character creation. One of the players is a fairly hardcore RPG guy (he’s the one who’s running the CoC game I’m in now), while the other two players game in varying degrees, neither is a “serious” RPG player. That their characters triumphed mightily in combat while the more regular player’s bit the dust is probably illuminating.

So, ultimately, a whole lot of fun was had with just a handful of d6, a very few rules (six pages’ worth at most), and a lot of imagination. That was awfully, awfully nice.

There’s a chance we’ll be continuing this game tonight. Or we might play something else entirely. Either way, while I was generally interested in Mini Six (and, by extension, Open D6) before, I’m officially sold on it now. It’s got just enough crunch possibility to keep my rules-focused players happy while being light enough to be enjoyable for my less geeky friends. BRP still rules my “serious” table, and BoL still has ahold of my heart. But this groovy game has found its place with me for sure.