Category Archives: Games

RPGaDAY 2019: 13 Terrifying Survivor (Themselves Terrified)

Wherein your humble scribe presents one of thirty character backgrounds for Troika! as part of his RPGaDAY 2019 experience. Find out more about the rules he is using to govern said experience here. You might also want to know that today’s roll is: Scary (36)

13 Terrifying Survivor (Themselves Terrified)

You are a survivor of one of the Six Cataclysms; this has left you both scarred and scared. You have seen things no one should have to see and you have done things in the name of survival that haunt you every time you close your eyes. You’ve been running so long now you’re not sure you could stop if you tried. Or maybe you could if the villagers didn’t keep chasing you away with pitchforks.

Possessions

Haunted Eyes
Scars (both eternal and internal)
Running Shoes

Advanced Skills

3 Unnerve
2 Survival
2 Run
2 Awareness
1 Sneak
1 Spell – Random

Special

You may Test your Luck at the start of any Round to automatically have the first Turn. You may only use this Turn to flee from combat at full speed.

RPGaDAY 2019: 12 Friend Of Prince Kateb

12 Friend Of Prince Kateb

Prince Kateb Al Wali is a good man. His subjects call him Al’amir Alsadiq, the sincere prince. He treats the people of Ismah Zakraab well, taxes them fairly, and defends them against the Demons and Devils that plague this doomed world. And while he endeavors to fill his court with only the finest souls, with whom he enjoys hunting from zamrukback, his judgement isn’t always the best. What kind of friend are you to Prince Kateb?

Possessions

A courtly weapon of your choice.
Fine clothing suitable for the crony of a Prince (counts as Light Armor).
A fine present fit for a Prince that could be sold before it is delivered, but then you’d have to find something to replace it, wouldn’t you?
A Golden Coin of Al Wali

Advanced Skills

2 Secret Signs – The Court of Prince Kateb
2 Language – Zakraabi
1 Etiquette
1 Fighting in your Courtly Weapon
1 Fusil Fighting
1 Evaluate
1 Ride

Special

A Friend of Prince Kateb may exchange their Golden Coin of Al Wali in countless ways. It will open the door (metaphorically, of course) to nearly any leader or hall of power. It will purchase nearly item regardless of cost or legality. It will buy your way out of a death sentence. It may be traded to nearly any Demon or Devil in exchange for their short-term obedience. However it is used, it may never be regained. Using it unwisely or purely for personal gain will undoubtedly cost the Friend in other, unknown ways.

RPGaDAY 2019: 11 Melancholic Sun Tracker

11 Melancholic Sun Tracker

The sun is doomed. Everyone knows that. But you – like your father, mother or, god forbid, both – you can see it happening. You cannot definitively identify the date or time of the bloated ball’s eventual demise, but you can see the decay all too clearly as it overtakes that once hopeful star. Each day you wake to that same cloying, creeping doom one feels while watching a loved one slowly die. In the end, it’s all about how you react to it.

Possessions

Solar Viewing Glass (Shade 13) that provides immunity to Flash spells when worn.
A feeling of incurable sadness.
Sun Tracking Journal.

Advanced Skills

3 Awareness
2 Astrology
2 Mathmology
2 Spell – Light or 2 Spell – Darkness
1 Spell – Flash or 1 Spell – Coal Resolve
1 Spell – Ember or 1 Spell – Quench

RPGaDAY 2019: First Things First

First off, I should say welcome to Strange Stones & my hope-filled first day of RPGaDAY2019. I’m going to use this daily challenge thing to works towards building out a “dying earth” style setting (in the vein of Clark Ashton Smith’s Zothique or, say, Jack Vance’s aptly named Dying Earth) for use with Troika!, the nifty and delicious game from Daniel Sell.

I’ll do this the same way Troika! builds its own “default” setting – via a list of character backgrounds with flavor text that contains morsels of setting goodness. If you’re not familiar with Troika!’s character backgrounds, this may seem a little odd at first. But I’m sure you’ll catch on.

As I proceed, I’ll be taking to heart the sage advice that Ray Otus has shared on his blog regarding designing things for Troika!. You should go read that, but I’ll list his summarized points here:

Don’t create material for Troika! that uses dice other than d6s.
Utilize backgrounds to build the world; don’t write pages of setting lore.
Be mindful when you write skills! Make them sufficiently narrow/situational.
Whenever possible, create material that is flexible – without a narrow focus on combat.

What Roads To Madness Does He Travel?

My method, after starting with #1 today (when the prompt is First), will be to roll a d66 to determine the prompt for each subsequent day’s prompt rather than following the numbered path laid out in the graphic put together for RPGaDAY2019 (see previous post). I had originally intended to make this a d30 table, but hewing to the aforementioned design advice, I decided to be true to the game and use the d66 approach. This required some additions to get to the required 36 options, which you’ll see below.

Note that I’m not going to eliminate already rolled results, so it’s quite likely I won’t hit all of the prompts and that I’ll wind up using duplicate prompts over the course of the month. What can I say? I’m a gamer – I like dice and random things.

A Savory Spread Upon The Table

Here’s the list of prompts in a d66 table format, with my additions in the 61-66 section to make it work as such, for reference:

11. Unique 12. Engage 13. Share 14. Space 15. Ancient 16. Familiar	21. Obscure 22. Critical 23. Focus 24. Examine 25. Friendship 26. Mystery	31. Guide 32. Door 33. Dream 34. One 35. Plenty 36. Scary
41. Noble 42. Vast 43. Lost 44. Surprise 45. Triumph 46. Calamity	51. Idea 52. Suspense 53. Love 54. Evolve 55. Connection 56. Last	61. Roll Again 62. Roll Again, Reversing Die Order 63. Use 1d6 Previous Days’ Roll 64. Use 1d6 Previous Day’s Roll reversed 65. Use 1d6 Previous Days’ Roll plus 1d6 steps 66. Use 1d6 Previous Days’ Roll minus 1d6 steps

For any result from the 6x sequence that results in wrapping around the table, I will skip the 6x sequence when counting out the wrap. Otherwise it could get hairy.

What Other Troubles Lurk At The Edge Of Perception?

Should I find that I’m just rocking out on this – as opposed to being stumped, hating everything, and wishing I hadn’t ever started it – I may include more in any given post than the one promised background. If I do, it’s likely to be a creature that is somehow related to the background. Fortunately, Ray Otus has some thoughts on those, too. Or maybe a spell. Or a drawing of a fig.

What Treasures Are Contained In The Nigh-Infinite Web?

If all of this intrigues you, there are a couple of other very cool Troika! resources out there, most notably an online character generator which draws backgrounds not just from the Troika! rulebook, but also from various other internet sources, which it cleverly links to so that you can find them for yourself. Or you can just look at the code to see all of them.

Another place to visit and ponder is the Troika! Appreciation Society group on MeWe. Some fine folks there have posted some interesting content indeed.

When All Is Said And Done?

If this goes well, maybe I’ll keep working on the setting. If all goes poorly, maybe I won’t. I do aim not to flame out or get all Geek ADD and switch what I’m doing every three days. For now, though, I will leave you wondering just what tomorrow brings.

The Mecha Hack: Fire Team 05Δ

Wherein your humble scribe presents a quickly thrown together fire team for The Mecha Hack – a mech-focused take on The Black Hack (1e, not 2e). Why? Because he’s been digging into Gundam stuff (UC for me!) for a little bit now and this seems like a good game for fast & fun mecha times. And since a mecha team is only as much fun as its opponent, there are a couple of those further down in the post, too.

As the Zircanian mechs closed the gap, beam swords twirling in a blinding display, Samson barked into her comm. “Echo Viking! Echo Viking! Focus your fire on the tank, damnit! You’ll never hit those Szybkis they way they move!”

“If I weren’t in this damn Titan I would!” Sandy hissed back.

“You wreck your Striker, you get the Titan, kid,” O’Keefe the team’s engineer chimed in. “That’s how it goes.”

“Lighten up, y’all! We’re the oh-five and we can take anything these Zees throw at us. We’re the team that took down General Kosci, outnumbered three to one, when both suns were in eclipse, after all!” added Ensign Duran, lifting everyone’s spirits just a little.

Thinking back on that glorious fight Sandy took a deep breath and opened up her chaingun on the Grzmot. A direct hit! It was smoking now, armor be damned. Her team wouldn’t have to worry about its thunder cannon, thank god. Of course, her mech had taken a nasty slice from one of the Szybkis she was ignoring. But sometimes you just have to pay the piper.

“Nice shot, Echo Viking. Hit those jets and get out of the scrum, we’ll take it from here.”

“And when we’re out of this I’ll take a look at fixing that Striker of yours. If you aren’t in love with that big gun now, that is…”

“Thanks, Har. Give ’em hell for me!”

Fire Team 05Δ

Harmony Oracle (Striker) / Lt. Cmdr. Maddie Samson (Commander) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 12 Mobility 8 System 13 Presence 16
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d8
Equipment: Comlink, Sword (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Targeting Array
Chassis Abilities: Adaptable Robotics, Reactor Charge
Pilot Abilities: Capable Leader, Battle Tactics

Romeo Jester (Striker) / Ens. Duran Zuniga (Quipster) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 14 Mobility 18 System 10 Presence 9
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d8
Equipment: Comlink, Sword (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Reflective Shielding
Chassis Abilities: Adaptable Robotics, Reactor Charge
Pilot Abilities: Lovable Oaf, Inspiring Speech

Vortex Horizon (Brawler) / Lt. Harlan O’Keefe (Engineer) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 13 Mobility 12 System 12 Presence 12
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d6
Equipment: Comlink, Laser Axe (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Rocket Fists
Chassis Abilities: Crippling Damage, Charging Strike
Pilot Abilities: Gearhead, Quick Fix

Echo Viking (Titan) / Ltjg. Sandy Xiang (Maverick) / L1 AP5 HP12
Power 16 Mobility 12 System 8 Presence 13
Hit Die d10 Damage Die d6 Reactor Die d6
Equipment: Comlink, Chaingun (d6+2), Heavy Armor (5AP)
Modules: Jump Jets
Chassis Abilities: Kinetic Absorbers, Energy Shield
Pilot Abilities: Ace Pilot, Reckless Attack

Enemies

Zicanian Grzmot Tank HD2
Heavily-armored tank equipped with mech-disabling tech

Heavy Armor Reduce incoming damage by 2
Main Gun Attack: Mobility, 1 near or far target, 1d6 damage
Machine Gun Attack: Mobility, 2 close targets, 1d4 damage
Thunder Cannon Attack (Recharge 5-6): System, 2 close or near targets, roll reactor die

Zicanian Szybki Mecha HD1
Small, fast mecha designed to swarm a battlefield

Turbo Servos Reach far locations in one move
Hyperclocked Servos Opponents’ ranged weapons suffer a +1 penalty to hit
Beam Sword Slice Attack: Mobility, 1 close target, 1d4 damage
Beam Sword Flurry Attack: (Recharge: 6) Deal 1d4 damage to all close targets

TFT LE: A Dozen Carboard Heroes (And Wizards)

Wherein your humble scribe presents a cool dozen TFT (Legacy Edition) characters based on some of his favorite Cardboard Heroes of old. These folks are all 32 point starting characters. Rather than saddle these poor creatures with a personality that you’ll likely just replace, they remain as blank as the stare of a young B/X player in 1982 when confronted with the visual representation of a Dwarven mage for the first time.

Dandy Highwayman / Human M / Hero
ST 12 DX 9 (8) IQ 11 MA 10 (8)
Talents: Charisma (2), Courtly Graces (1), Crossbow (1), Horsemanship (1), Missile Weapons (2), Recognize Value (1), Sex Appeal (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Broadsword (2d), Light Crossbow (2d), Cloth Armor (1)

Martial Artist / Human M / Hero
ST 9 DX 12 (11) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Bola (1), Detect Lies (2), Knife (1), Priest (1), Thrown Weapons (2), Two Weapons (2), Unarmed Combat I (1), Unarmed Combat II (1)
Equipment: Nunchucks (1d+1), Dagger (1d-1), Bola (Special), Cloth Armor (1)

Archer / Human M / Hero
ST 11 DX 12 (10) IQ 9 MA 10 (8)
Talents: Bow (2), Carousing (1), Missile Weapons (3), Mundane Talent: Wood Carver (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Longbow (1d+2), Shortsword (2d-1), Dagger (1d-1), Leather Armor (2)

Hill Barbarian / Human M / Hero
ST 11 DX 11 (10) IQ 10 MA 12 (12)
Talents: Climbing (1), Knife (1), Pole Weapons (2), Running (2), Shield (1), Shield Expertise (2), Tracking (1)
Equipment: Spear (1d/1d+1), Dagger (1d-1), Large Shield (2)

Swashbuckler / Human F / Hero
ST 9 DX 12 (11) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Charisma (2), Courtly Graces (1), Diplomacy (1), Poet (1), Quick Draw: Sword (1), Sword (2), Weapon Expertise: Sword (3)
Equipment: Rapier (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

Crusader / Human F / Hero
ST 11 DX 11 (8) IQ 10 MA 10 (6)
Talents: Ax/Mace (2), Literacy (1), Alertness (2), Priest (1), Engineer (2), Naturalist (2)
Equipment: Mace (2d-1), Chainmail (3)

Sorceress / Human F / Wizard
ST 9 DX 11 (11) IQ 12 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Literacy (1), Sex Appeal (2)
Spells: Avert (1), Dazzle (1), Fireball (1), Sleep (1), Staff II (1), Staff to Snake (1), Summon Myrmidon (1), Summon Scout (1), Turn Missiles (1)
Equipment: Staff (1d)

Thief / Human F / Hero
ST 10 DX 11 (10) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Climbing (1), Detect Traps (2), Locksmith (1), Recognize Value (1), Remove Traps (1), Silent Movement (2), Streetwise (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Sabre (2d-2), Dagger (1d-1), Cloth Armor (1)

Elven Swordswoman / Elf F / Hero
ST 9 DX 13 (12) IQ 10 MA 12 (12)
Talents: Acute Hearing (2), Alertness (2), Language: Human (1), Mimic (1), Quick-Draw: Sword (1), Sword (2), Unarmed Combat I (1)
Equipment: Rapier (1d), Main-Gauche (1), Cloth Armor (1)

Dwarven Mage / Dwarf M / Wizard
ST 10 DX 9 (8) IQ 13 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Literacy (1), Language: Human (1)
Spells: 3-Hex Wall (1), Ferment (1), Light (1), Lock/Knock (1), Mage Sight (1), Open Tunnel (1), Repair (1), Scrying (1), Staff III (1), Stone Flesh (1), Summon Gargoyle (1)
Equipment: Staff of Striking (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

Halfling Thief / Halfling F / Hero
ST 8 DX 13 (12) IQ 9 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Detect Traps (2), Knife (1), Language: Human (1), Pickpocket (1), Remove Traps (1), Silent Movement (2), Streetwise (1)
Equipment: Dagger (1d-1), Cloth Armor (1)

Goblin Wizard / Goblin M / Wizard
ST 9 DX 9 (8) IQ 14 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Business Sense (4), Language: Human (1), Literacy (1)
Spells: Analyze Magic (1), Glamour (1), Lightning (1), Persuasiveness (1), Staff III (1), Summon Myrmidon (1), Telepathy (1), Weapon/Armor Enchantment (1)
Equipment: Staff of Striking (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

SWN Revised: Fighting For Workers Rights

Wherein your humble scribe presents a quartet of randomly generated characters for Stars Without Number Revised as he awaits his copy of the Kickstarted hardback, which has shipped and should be here any day now.

These folks were built using SWN(R)’s Quick Character Creation option (p.26) and are thus representative of starting characters in this edition.

On the more industrialized worlds of the Alceris Sector, the Iron Federation struggles to defend workers’ rights and protections. It’s not an easy task — the corporations have money, power, and, all too often, muscle on their side. So the approaches vary, as do the people who fight for the principles of Worker Dignity.

Nazir
A lucky escapee from the primitive world of Qabis, Nazir has managed to scrape together a small fortune in credits by serving as hired muscle for the Clenched Fists wing of the Iron Federation. Sometimes to protect the rights of the workers you have to lean on management just a little. And leaning is definitely Nazir’s biggest strength.

Nazir (Qabis) / Barbarian / Warrior 1 / Cr 500
HP 8 / AC 14 / AB +1 / P 14 E 15 M 15
STR 14 DEX 9 CON 12 INT 11 WIS 9 CHA 7
Skills: Survive-0, Notice-0, Stab-1, Punch-0, Heal-0
Languages: Arabic, Trade Common
Focus: Savage Fray-1, Shocking Assault-1
Equipment: Spear (1d6+1),Primitive hide armor, Primitive shield, Knife (1d4) Backpack (TL0), 7 days rations, 20m rope

Mira Mahajan
Mira saw the struggles of industrial servitude firsthand on Iorna, where her parents both perished in the mines while trying to pay off their company debts. So when the Iron Federation took her in and saved her from the worst the camps had to offer, she dedicated herself to their mission, by any means necessary. That vow made her a perfect candidate for the Silent Blades wing.

Mira Mahajan (Iorna) / Vagabond / Warrior 1 / Cr 100
HP 6 / AC 13 / AB +1 / P 15 E 15 M 14
STR 7 DEX 10 CON 9 INT 11 WIS 12 CHA 14
Skills: Notice-0, Sneak-1, Survive-0, Lead-0, Shoot-0
Languages: Hindi, Trade Common
Focus: Gunslinger-1, Authority-1
Equipment: Laser Pistol (1d6), Armored Undersuit, Monoblade Knife (1d6), 8 type A Cells, Backpack (TL0), Compad

Ricardo Gavilan
A smooth-talking con man from one of the orbital habitats above Gherenberg, Ricardo has recently taken a shine to working with the Iron Federation’s Smiling Eyes wing. There’s nothing like advancing the workers’ cause with a little friendly persuasion, after all.

Ricardo Gavilan (Gherenberg) / Spacer / Expert 1 / Cr 25
HP 2 / AC 13 / AB +0 / P 15 E 15 M 14
STR 7 DEX 9 CON 10 INT 12 WIS 11 CHA 14
Skills: Fix-0, Pilot-0, Program-0, Talk-1, Shoot-0
Languages: Spanish, Trade Common, Arabic, Hindi, English
Focus: Diplomat-1, Specialist/Talk-1
Equipment: Laser Pistol (1d6), Armored Undersuit, Monoblade knife (1d6), Climbing harness, Low-light goggles, 2 type A cells, Backpack (TL0), Compad, Metatool

Julia Lloyd-Davies
Julia slaved for several years as a company member at Bhatanagar Enterprises, where she watched in horror as castmate after castmate suffered terrible accidents that were clearly the result of lax safety practices. When her contract was terminated due to the scarring she suffered from the accident that even she couldn’t foresee, she sought out the Iron Federation to set things right once and for all.

Julia Lloyd-Davies (New Victoria) / Entertainer / Psychic 1 / Cr 700
HP 6 / AC 13 / AB +0 / P 15 E 15 M 14 / Effort 4
STR 9 DEX 11 CON 12 INT 10 WIS 14 CHA 7
Skills: Perform-0, Talk-0, Connect-0, Telepathy-0, Precognition-1, Know-0
Languages: English, Trade Common, Hindi
Focus: Psychic Training-1
Psychic Techniques: Terminal Reflection (Precognition)
Equipment: Secure Clothing, Compad

Six Space Frontiersmen

Wherein your humble scribe presents a sextet of starting characters for FrontierSpace, now that the Referee’s Handbook is out and he’s bought in on the action. These folks are all Human and were randomly generated using the tables in the Player’s Hanbook.

Ngala / Human M / Body Points 28 / Rank 1
MD +0 RD +1 INIT 1 MOV 9 DEST 2
STR 55 AGL 65 CDR 60 PER 55 INT 50 WIL 55
Explorer (0), Pilot (-10), Thief (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Charitable to a fault, A bit stoic and boring
Origin: Colonist (Social Advantage w/ Colonists, Action Advantage w/ Desert Survival, Social Disadvantage w/ Core Worlders)
Gear: Audio/Visual Scanner, Enviro-suit, Standard Equipment Pack, Auto Pistol (20 bullets), Explorer Kit

Vaughn / Human F / Body Points 28 / Rank 1
MD +0 RD +2 INIT 2 MOV 8 DEST 1
STR 55 AGL 60 CDR 65 PER 70 INT 65 WIL 55
Technician/Starships (0), Artist/Performance (-10), Warrior (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Unnecessarily aggressive demeanor, Easily distracted by gizmos
Origin: Mechanic (+5 INT, +2 Equip, -1 INIT)
Gear: Techkit, Standard Equipment Pack, Blastpistol (20 EU pack), Brass Knuckles, Disguise Kit, Infrared Scanner, Porta-comp, Magnigoggles

Lo / Human M / Body Points 23 / Rank 1
MD +0 RD +4 INIT 3 MOV 8 DEST 2
STR 45 AGL 55 CDR 75 PER 45 INT 60 WIL 60
Marksman (0), Diplomat (-10), Academic/Politics (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Strongly politically biased, Always hungry
Origin: Gun for Hire (+5 CDR, +1 INIT, Social Disadvantage w/ loyal/dedicated/etc. types)
Gear: Gyrojet Pistol (10 gyrojets), Gyrojet Rifle (15 gyrojets), Security Ballistic Suit, Infrared Goggles, Standard Equipment Pack

Dell / Human F / Body Points 28 / Rank 1
MD +0 RD +0 INIT X MOV 8 DEST 4
STR 55 AGL 55 CDR 50 PER 55 INT 45 WIL 60
Pilot (0), Diplomat (-10), Explorer (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Acts amateurish and foolish, Too easily trusts authority figures
Origin: Transporter (+5 STR, Social Advantage w/ merchants, Social Disadvantage w/ military)
Gear: Standard Equipment Pack, Auto Pistol (20 bullets), Civilian Ballistic Suit, Vocal Scanner, Explorer Kit

Heitmuller / Human M / Body Points 25 / Rank 1
MD +0 RD +0 INIT 2 MOV 10 DEST 1
STR 50 AGL 55 CDR 55 PER 60 INT 70 WIL 65
Scientist/Life Science (0), Marksman (-10), Commander (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Easily amused and jovial, Very competitive with fellow teammates
Origin: Competitive Spirit (+2 MOV, Action Advantage w/ racing, Social Disadvantage w/ superiors)
Gear: Blastpistol (2 20 EU packs), Civilian Ballistic Suit, Porta-comp, Standard Equipment Pack, Audio/Visual Scanner, Tactile Scanner

Kwan / Human F / Body Points 33 / Rank 1
MD +2 RD +0 INIT 2 MOV 9 DEST 2
STR 65 AGL 45 CDR 50 PER 60 INT 55 WIL 65
Medic (0), Warrior (-10), Marksman (-10)
Languages: Terran, Galactic Common
Descriptors: Just isn’t good at exercising authority, Acts with an eye-rolling level of machismo
Origin: Deserter (+5 WIL, +1 INIT, 1600 CR price on head)
Gear: Medkit, Vibro Axe (20 EU pack), Auto Rifle (30 bullets), Security Ballistic Suit, Standard Equipment Pack

NTRPGCon 2017: Pregens for Six Bullets In Bustamante

Below are the pregens I put together for the Mini Six powered western I ran at NTRPGCon 2017. In addition to the game information, each includes the text of the mysterious telegram that they received to draw them into the action. Note also that I drew quite a bit from WilD6 West, a nifty western implementation of Mini Six put together by the same hombre who puts out The Mighty Six superhero thang.

J.B. Armstrong / Dodge 11 Block 7 Parry 7 Soak 7
A fast-talkin’ grifter from back east, full of book learnin’ and people smarts
Might 2D+1 Agility 3D+1 Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+2
Skills: Pistols 3D+2, Thievin’ 4D+1, Dodge 3D+2, Throwin’ 3D+2, Learnin’ 4D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 5D+2
Perks: Charming, I’ve Got Just The Thing
Complications: Competitive, Superstitious
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Gear: 6 Throwing Knives (3D+1), $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: J.B. ARMSTRONG, HOTEL TRAVIS, AUSTIN, TX, USA
GOT SOME POSSUMS TO SMILE OUT OF A TREE STOP MOUNTAIN GOLD IN RETURN STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 4 RED STARS IN THE SKY STOP

M.Q. Black / Dodge 15 Block 7 Parry 7 Soak 7
A singin’ gunslinger from who holds many grudges
Might 2D+1 Agility 4D Wit 2D+1 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Brawlin’ 2D+2, Pistol 6D, Dodge 5D, Riding 5D, Doctorin’ 2D+2, Guts 4D+1, Performin’ 3D+2
Perks: Ambidextrous, Hip Shootin’
Complications: Code of Honor (Code of the West), Vengeful
Languages: English, Spanish
Gear: 2 Colt Peacemakers (5D+1 each), 20’ rope, $19

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: M.Q. BLACK, UPMANN HOTEL, TOMBSTONE, AZ, USA
NEED YR GUN STOP GOLD APLENTY IN MEX STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 6 BLACK RED RIVALS STOP

R.L. Ludy / Dodge 9 Block 9 Parry 9 Soak 9
A foul-mouthed sawbones who sided with the South, who’s smarter than he lets on
Might 3D Agility 2D+1 Wit 4D Charm 2D+2
Skills: Brawlin’ 3D+1, Rifle 3D+1, Dodge 3D, Doctorin’ 5D, Doctorin’/Battlefield Surgery 6D, Doctorin’/Dentistry 6D, Doctorin’/Horses 6D, Learnin’ 5D, Savvy 3D+2
Perks: Cussin’, Natural Born Healer
Complications: Obstinate, Surly
Languages: English, Latin, French, Italian
Gear: Remington Single-Barrel 12 Gauge (6D), Surgeon‘s kit, $23

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: R.L. LUDY, TRINITY HOTEL, DALLAS, TX, USA
MOTHERLODE IN MEXICO STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP DONT TELL SAM STOP 1-2 WHITE GOSPEL MAKERS STOP

M. Rivas / Dodge 10 Block 8 Parry 8 Soak 8
An overconfident Mexican bankrobber with a taste for TNT
Might 2D+2 Agility 3D Wit 3D+2 Charm 2D+2
Skills: Pistol 4D, Thievin’ 4D, Sneakin’ 3D+1, Dodge 3D+1, Riding 3D+1, Engineering/Demolitions 6D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 3D+2, Throwing 4D
Perks: Dirty Fighter, Logical Thinker
Complications: Brash, Jealous
Languages: Spanish, English, Apache
Gear: Colt New Model Army (5D), 6 sticks of dynamite, matches, 50 yd of fuse, $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: M. RIVAS, HOTEL GARNET, TUCSON, AZ, USA
COME TO LAREDO STOP BRING DYNAMITE STOP CANTINA ROJA NOV 17 STOP JUST LIKE OLD TIMES STOP 9 WHITE THE LILLYWHITE BOYS STOP

E. Valdaron / Dodge 10 Block 9 Parry 9 Soak 9
A mud fence ugly backwoodsman who can tack a butterfly on a moonless night
Might 3D Agility 3D Wit 3D Charm 3D
Skills: Rifle 4D, Dodge 3D+1, Sneaking 4D, Ridin’ 3D+1, Know-How 4D, Survival 4D, Perception/Tracking 6D, Guts 3D+1
Perks: Acute Hearing, Trail Wise
Complications: Rustic, Ugly
Languages: Spanish, English, Navajo
Gear: Winchester ’73 Rifle (6D+1), Machete (4D+2), $23

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: E. VALDARON, POPLAR HOTEL, SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA
ES VERDAD AMIGO STOP ORO EN LAS MONTANAS STOP TRAIGA SU FUSIL STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO 17 DE NOV STOP 3 AZUL ROJO CAMINANTES ORGULLOSOS STOP

A.S. Garrett / Dodge 12 Block 6 Parry 6 Soak 6
A sickly gambler from New Orleans who takes risks no sane man would
Might 2D Agility 3D Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Dodge 4D, Pistols 3D+1, Thievin’ 3D+1, Gambling 4D+2, Gambling/Poker 6D+2, Gambling/Dice 5D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 4D+1, Guts 3D+2
Perks: Alertness, Funny
Complications: Anemic, Thrill-Seeker
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Gear: Pocket Derringer (5D), Marked Cards, $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: A.S. GARRETT, ST JAMES INFIMARY, NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA
FOUND SITE IN MEXICO STOP YR PAS INJUN WAS RIGHT STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 3 BLACK SYMBOLS AT YOUR DOOR STOP

P.A. Walker / Dodge 11 Block 12 Parry 9 Soak 9
An embittered Southern Gentleman who just can’t let go of the war
Might 3D Agility 3D+2 Wit 3D Charm 2D+1
Skills: Brawling 4D, Rifle 4D+2, Big Guns 4D, Riding 4D, Engineering 4D, Know-How 4D, Command 3D+1, Guts 2d+2
Perks: Killer Instinct, Nerves of Steel
Complications: Gentlemanly, Intolerant (Non-Whites)
Languages: English, German, French
Gear: Sharps Carbine (6D), Bowie Knife (4D+1), $18

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: P.A. WALKER, ROSE HOTEL, FT WORTH, TX, USA
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY STOP JUST LIKE THE COL SAID STOP MEET ME IN LAREDO NOV 17 STOP CANTINA ROJA STOP 5 BLUE WHITE AND ALL ALONE STOP

NTRPGCon 2017: Pregens for The Parnassus Key

Below are the pregens for my BoL-based game at the upcoming 2017 North Texas RPG Con, The Parnassus Key. Just figured I’d share these.

Ferrand d’Arangon / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Noble 2, Artist 0, Gambler 0, Thief 2
Boons: Attractive, High-Born, Friends in Low Places
Flaws: Arrogant, Untrustworthy
Languages: Galiesse, Alcázaran
Equipment: Foil (d6L+1), Lockpicks

Ferrand is the scoundrel son of Artur d’Arangon, the legendary “Mad Vintner of Plonesse.” Ferrand was edged out of the family business by his younger and more reliable brother, Aymon, not that Ferrand minded much. He was never suited to a life of hard work or any kind of work, really. He is, however, quite gifted in opening doors that others would prefer he didn’t. His pride in this talent is all too easily manipulated.

Sybille Borusier / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5 / Fate Points 2
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Urchin 1, Thief 1, Priest 2, Architect 0
Boons: Keen Eyesight, Escape Artist, Resistant to Sorcery
Flaws: Unprepared, Spendthrift
Languages: Galiesse, Ora Luccia
Equipment: Quarterstaff (d6)

A priestess of Ste. Clarissa (patroness of cities, sewers, aqueducts and roadways), Sybille grew up on the streets of Yllons and knows the city well. Her lack of discipline with money has led her to several situations that have called for her to draw upon the skills she developed as a younger woman. She relies upon her charm and beauty to soften the ire of officials both within and outside her order.

Magnus Halvarson / Lifeblood 13 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 1 Mind 0 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 2 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Brute 2, Serf 1, Sailor 0, Thief 1
Boons: Thick Skin, Strength Feat, War Cry
Flaws: Ugly & Brutish, Vice (Tobacco)
Languages: Sigrun, Galiesse
Equipment: Axe (d6+3)

Magnus came to Galiana from the far northern land of Arunbjørn to seek his fortune using the only tool he truly possesses – his great strength. After one too many “excessive” incidents as doorman of the Reine d’Émeraude tavern he found himself working for less and less respectable employers. Magnus takes more pleasure in violence than even most of the criminals in Yllons.

Verrine Levicq / Lifeblood 12 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 0 Mind 2 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Thief 0, Mercenary 1, Pugilist 1, Physician 2
Boons: Carouser, Mighty Fists, Healing Touch
Flaws: Drunkard, Hot-Headed
Languages: Galiesse, Przec
Equipment: Broadsword (d6+2), Fists (d3+2)

Verrine was born to heal the sick and tend to the wounded. Unfortunately, the trauma she has seen in her time in the Duke’s army has left her scarred. She takes refuge in wine and, when that doesn’t work, she lashes out violently. Still, she is a skillful healer and can be counted on to keep quiet about any suspicious injuries she may treat in the course of keeping her small practice open. Sadly, there is little money in treating the underside of Yllons society.

Hernaut Charron / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5/ Fate Points 1
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 0 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Thief 0, Scholar 2, Alchemist 1, Priest 1
Boons: Learned (Academia), Detect Deception, Attractive
Flaws: Soft-Hearted, Hopeless Romantic
Languages: Galiesse, Ora Luccia, Svata Jazyk
Equipment: Foil (d6L)

A priest of Ste. Alizenne of the Book (patroness of scholars, sages, and alchemists, and magicians), Hernaut is a bookish young man who becomes smitten with every barmaid, merchant’s daughter, and traveling performer he encounters. Needless to say, he runs through money like mad despite earnings that are meager at best. His natural ability to know when he is being lied to does nothing to protect his pockets from sad stories that tug at his heart.

Azalais Yverneau / Lifeblood 11 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Farmer 0, Sailor 2, Merchant 2, Thief 0
Boons: Born Sailor, Alert, Fearless
Flaws: Superstitious, Greedy
Languages: Galiesse, Rheinig
Equipment: Broadsword (d6+1)

Azalais ran away to sea when she was young – anything to escape the dreadful and dull farm her parents slaved away upon. In no time she was serving as first mate aboard the Dolphin du Soleil under Captain Mirabelle. Unfortunately, Azalais’ greed got the best of her and she got caught one too many times pocketing more than her fair share of a sale. Captain Mirabelle left Azalais high and dry (and penniless) to find a new way in the world.

Rostans d’Aubec / Lifeblood 11 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 10
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 0 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Noble 2, Composer 2, Magician 0, Thief 0
Boons: Visions, Deft Hands, Beast Friend
Flaws: Obsession (Magical Knowledge), Infamous
Languages: Galiesse, Ora Luccia
Equipment: Dagger (d6L+1)

Poor Mad Rostans. From such a good family. And such beautiful music he composes. But once the visions and voices started, after his mother passed away, he was never the same. Still, animals like him. It’s just a shame he’s nearly spent his entire inheritance pursuing such dark and forbidden things. Poor Mad Rostans. From such a good family.