Category Archives: NPCs

Dogs Of W*A*R: The Gospel Of Lorraine

So, despite having downloaded it months ago, I finally actually started to read Barbarians Of Lemuria relative Dogs Of W*A*R over the weekend. This delay is probably because I’m not actually all that big into the 80s-era men’s action fiction genre. I didn’t read Mack Bolan novels when I was a kid, nor did I much care for the A-Team or other entertainments in that style. So while I was quite interested to see what Simon himself did with the BoL engine in the name of guns & “modern” action, I just hadn’t gotten around to giving DoW a read yet. My mistake!

You see, even though the basic game is pitched at precisely those notes that don’t sing to me, there’s a little Alternative Settings section at the back of the book that includes an entry called Misfit Platoon, which just happens to list Kelly’s Heroes, Dirty Dozen, and Rat Patrol as its inspirations. Those sound familiar to anyone? Yep, those are pretty much the exact inspirations for that whole November Company concept I was on about previously. And though I know that if I ever do get around to running something like that my players will have fits if I don’t use Basic RolePlaying as the system, I can’t help but think that the concept and the BoL/DoW rules would be perfect for the concept.

As noted before, thinking in BoL comes easily to me. And with the assistance of my handy dandy BoL-to-BRP Conversion Guidelines I’ve got no reason not to indulge my own love of said elegantly simple system.

In the meantime, to give DoW a spin, here are a quartet of French Resistance fighters done up in DoW, which seems to fit the idea of a WWII scenario focusing on the exploits of this kind of group quite well.

Yves “Mathieu” Xavier

A former mid-level minister in the pre-Vichy government, the devout socialist Yves Xavier has vowed to fight the German occupation of France to his last breath. Yves still has access to much of his family’s fortune, which he uses to fund the operatives and soldiers he has recruited into his personal resistance cell.

Essences
Lifeblood 12
Hero Points 3

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 0
Mind 1
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 2
Melee 0
Ranged 2
Defense 0

Background Political

Careers
Leader 2
Soldier 1
Administrator 2
Sapper 1

Boons
Paper Pusher
Wealth
Current Affairs

Flaws
Womanizer

Languages
French, German, Italian, English

Equipment
Heavy Pistol, d6+1

Isaak “Marc” Lunel

A young Jewish man from the the Pletzl (in the Marais district of Paris), Isaak Lunel has spent most of his life in trouble with the law. And though he has no love for France itself, he is proud to fight against the Nazis’ presence in his homeland (and, by extension, their persecution of his people). If that means he must work alongside those who have seldom given him respect, so be it.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 2
Mind 0
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 1
Ranged 0
Defense 2

Background Criminal

Careers
Fixer 2
Soldier 1
Sneak 2
Wheelman 1

Boons
Alert
Edged Weapons Specialist

Flaws
Ugly!

Languages
French, Spanish, German

Equipment
Knife, d3
Medium Pistol, d6

Lt. Jules “Luc” Severand

A survivor of the Battle of France, rescued in Operation Dynamo, Lt. Severand has returned to France to fight with the resistance against her enemies (both foreign and domestic). His painful shyness, though certainly a weakness, led directly to his development of an eagle eye with the sniper rifle.

Essences
Lifeblood 10
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 3
Mind 1
Appeal 0

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 0
Ranged 3
Defense 1

Background Military

Careers
Marksman 3
Soldier 1
Medic 1
Scout 1

Boons
Gun Specialist: Sniper Rifle
Tough Guy

Flaws
Socially Awkward

Languages
French, Dutch, German

Equipment
SMG, d6
Sniper Rifle, d6+1
Knife, d3

Olympe “Jean” Daux

The widow of a newspaper publisher who was executed by the Nazis for his refusal to run their propaganda after the invasion, Olympe Daux has vowed to avenge her husband and restore France to its rightful place as a free and democratic country. She doe not relish the battle, but she will do what must be done.

Essences
Lifeblood 8
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 0
Mind 2
Appeal 2

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 2
Ranged 0
Defense 2

Background Business

Careers
Faceman 2
Soldier 1
Sneak 1
Sleuth 2

Boons
Contacts
Stylish
Fast Talker

Flaws
Slender
Phobia: Snakes

Languages
French, German, English, Russian, Greek

Equipment
Foil, d6
Knife, d3
Light Pistol, d6-1

The Basalt Bird Of Beq’Azir

Wherein your humble scribe presents three characters and a monster for Tunnels & Trolls. All of these are best enjoyed with some dates and hummus.

“And why are we climbing this damnable cliff again, wizard?” the brusque Bakir asked of his companion.

“We seek the Basalt Bird of Beq’Azir, of course!” the magician exclaimed, his voice unfazed by the effort expended in hauling his bulk up the mountainside. “It’s eyrie is known to lie atop Mount Rafeeda. The Scrolls of Sha’Qahir plainly state…”

Bassam’s discourse was – thankfully – interrupted by a screech that sounded more like stone on stone than it did the cry of a living thing.

“Na’asaad!” hissed their fellow climber, as she drew her short sabre from the jeweled scabbard at her delicate waist. “It would seem that the beast he seeks has found us instead.”

A rough black shadow streaked across the sky and turned to attack the party of miscreants who had dared to encroach upon its territory. The sun gleamed off the razor-edged talons as the creature gained speed.

“Quit crowding me, you stupid oaf! I can’t invoke the powers with that damnable dagger of yours dampening my magical mastery!” Bassam barked at Bakir, whose Kris was indeed interfering with the invoker’s incantations.

“Damn your twisting of God’s laws, wizard! I need room to fire this arrow!” the warrior retorted as he drew an arrow and took aim.

“Stop it, both of you!” commanded Bari’ah. “We have to work together if we’re going to survive this,” she continued in that ever-so-persuasive voice of hers. “Quickly now, Bassam, trade places with me – that should give you the distance you need. And it is plain to see that I will take up far less space than you, giving Bakir the freedom to use his bow. Insa’Allah, it will fell the bird before it reaches us!”

Bakir / Warrior / Human / 3
STR 30 CON 16 DEX 12 SPD 10
INT 6 WIZ 11 LK 15 CHR 7

Height 6′ 3″ Weight 220 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +7

Talents Trading (+3), Survival (+1), Riding (+6)
Languages Desert Tongue (Barely)

Scimitar (4), Kris (2+3), Heavy Self Bow (5), Mail Armor (24), Target Shield (8)

Bassam / Wizard / Human / 2
STR 9 CON 14 DEX 12 SPD 10
INT 21 WIZ 14 LK 13 CHR 12

Height 5′ 10″ Weight 260 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +1

Magic All 1st level spells, Find Object, Nohearums

Talents Falconry (+5), Psalms & Psayings (+3)
Languages Desert Tongue, Quite A Few Others

Dirk (2+1), Sling (2), Quilted Silk Armor (3)

Bari’ah / Leader / Human / 2
STR 7 CON 14 DEX 16 SPD 9
INT 12 WIZ 8 LK 15 CHR 23

Height 5′ 2″ Weight 90 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +5

Talents Leadership, Astrology (+5)
Languages Desert Tongue

Short Sabre (3+1), Soft Leather Armor (5), Buckler (3)

The Basalt Bird of Beq’Azir

Monster Rating: 78
Combat Dice: 8d6+39
Special Damage:
3/Vorpal Blade – The razor-sharp talons of the Basalt Bird slash its foes most effectively
5/Oh Go Away! – The bizarre cry of the Basalt Bird panics its foes
Special Abilities: Fly Me – Despite its rocky nature, the Basalt Bird can, indeed, fly. Also, its stony hide acts as 8 point armor.

The Basalt Bird of Beq’Azir is a legendary creature spoken of in many myths and stories throughout the region of the Silver Desert. It is rumored that whosoever can capture the bird will be granted three wishes by the Lord of the Air as he bargains for the release of his beloved pet. Of course, wresting wishes from a demon is certain to ensure a degree of enmity that most mere mortals would rather avoid.

Traveller: The FitzLogan Gang

Wherein your humble scribe presents a group of characters for (classic) Traveller. All of these were rolled up by-the-book from Book 1: Characters And Combat and/or Supplement 4: Citizens of the Imperium.

For years Logan “Fitz” FitzLogan was one of the more notorious con men in the Claybourne Subsector, but he’s been straight ever since his last conviction was overturned due to technical issues surrounding the case. He was last seen traveling in the company of a couple of lovely graduate students and a retired Army Major with a thing for guns, but the Alliance Patrol keeps losing their tracer on him somehow. Surely that’s just a coincidence.

Logan “Fitz” FitzLogan
877596 Age 34 4 Terms (Service: Rogue)
Streetwise-2, Forgery-2, Computer-1, AutoPistol-1, Liaison-1, Carousing-2
Cr110,000

Natsuko Coats
8A69B9 Age 30 3 Terms (Service: Scientist)
Computer-3, Electronic-1, Dagger-1, AutoPistol-1
Cr51,000

Jennifer Rebryk
886CB5 Age 26 2 Terms (Service: Scientist)
Computer-1, Jack of All Trades-1, AutoPistol-1, Medical-1
Cr12,000

Maxwell Lozyk
A87768 Age 30 3 Terms (Service: Army, Final Rank: Major)
Rifle-1, SMG-1, Shotgun-1, AutoRifle-1, Carbine-1, Mechanical-1, Electronic-1, Air/Raft-1
Cr22,000

Mini Six Character: Delacroix H

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Mini Six character he put together as an NPC for his own amusement, possibly for use in a future project.

There. There was. There was a noise. There was a noise when the starship shuddered; a noise like the scream of a broken rainbow. The experimental drive the scientists from Rice had developed interacted in some unexpected way with the resonance-dampening frame and shielding. By the time mission control aborted the launch everyone on the Cape had been blinded by the silver-sepia vision of a god astride the sands of an alien world. The pilot of the craft was nowhere to be found.

********

He. He was. He was alive. There was a noise when the starship shuddered; a noise like the cry of a newborn world. He could hear his own heartbeat and breathing echoing within the helmet that encased his sensory organs. His consciousness came and went; wrapped in heavy cotton when present, wrapped in black wool when gone. Sometime later he could hear the thoughtwords of several who stood above him, though he could not comprehend their meaning. The sour barks of the riding lizards, though, were clear, sharp warnings of the questionable intent of those who rode them. He waited, unmoving and yet uncannily aware. In time, the superstitious men turned and rode away. Unwilling to molest the god who had fallen from the Orgstone Sky.

********

It. It was. It was sunset. There was a noise above him; a noise like the shout of some raw bird’s terror. He stood looking out across the desert, unsure of where he was. Unsure of where he came from. The words on his clothing meant nothing to him. They were… familiar, but ultimately as alien as the world he now surveyed. He knew somehow that the night would be cold, but that his body would survive. His mind reached out across the sands and he felt the presence of those who would help him. He felt, too, the presence of those who would seek to do him harm. But he was not afraid; the fire that burned in the strange pistol at his side would convert them.

Delacroix H

Steel grey eyes that shine / Winter’s ghosts beneath his skin / Prophecy returns

Might 2D+2 Agility 3D+1
Wit 3D+2 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Dodge 4D+1, PsiPistol 3D+1, Poetry 4D+2, Psionics 4D+2
Psychic Abilities: ESP, Beast Tongue
Perks: Psychic
Complications: Stranger
Gear: PsiPistol (5D)
Static: Dodge 13, Block 11, Parry 8
Body Points: 28
Armor: Spacesuit (6)

Nogoloth: The Emerald Ships

Wherein your humble scribe presents an NPC and an artifact (in Barbarians of Lemuria format) that he whipped up for his nascent Lovecraftian Fantasy setting, Nogoloth. You might note that this makes three BoL-based Nogoloth entries in a row. That, my friends, is starting to look something like a trend.

On the western shore of Nogoloth sits the city called Cwnuihd, where strange emerald-sailed ships crewed by ebon-skinned men dock thrice annually. None within the city claim to know the origins of these vessels, nor their destinations. All that is known is that the sailors who debark from the caravels and carracks speak – and often sing – in a tongue unknown even to the greatest scholars of Nogoloth. The captains of these crafts superficially resemble the men they lead, but can carry on great discourse in the common speech of the island-continent they visit each time the trade winds shift and the two moons of Nogoloth join together to raise the tides high enough to allow passage across the great reef that elsewise bars the harbor.

These mariner kings seldom speak of what they have seen in the unchartered waters of the world, but when they do they wax poetic, even rhapsodic, telling tales of great, impossible leviathans whose eyes burn with hatred for all the men and beasts of the land. It is whispered that only these sea dogs may traverse the greatest oceans of the world, though whether due to their extreme bravery or, perhaps, to some dark pact they have made with the rulers of the court beneath the waves none may say.

It is tradition amongst the women of Cwnuihd to greet the arrival of the Emerald Ships by dyeing their hair jet black and serenading the crews from the docks with songs that their mothers’ mothers learned from the first such fleets to brave the dark waters of the bay and anchor at the docks that were already present when the city itself was founded in centuries passed. The men of Cwnuihd are made ill-at-ease by the melodies that comprise these alien chanties – though, in truth, it is the frequently wanton behavior the ladies engage in when in the company of those who sail with the Emerald Ships that truly troubles the fathers of unwed daughters in the city. Despite the rather orgiastic scenes that often play out in the dockside taverns, no child has ever been born in Cwnuihd who even faintly resembles the sailors.

I happened to be visiting Cwnuihd one spring when the Ships arrived, and I struck up a brief-but-companionable relationship with the captain of one of the vessels – a man by the name of Vaul – in whose company I passed two fascinating evenings filled with stories of the sort that one would be inclined to take for little more than the tall tales of a man who has spent too much time away from even the sight of land. Yet there was, in his manner and upon his face, an indescribable sincerity so powerful that I would warrant his narratives to even Ste. Sibille the Blind herself.

It was from Captain Vaul that I acquired the Lantern of U’um’nn, an artifact of a different age that may well serve to render my ultimate goal achievable. Vaul refused to accept payment of any sort for the Lantern, insisting that he had already been well compensated for delivering it to my hands.

I am told by the old men of Cwnuihd that they had never heard tell of anyone – let alone a cripple such as I – being offered passage aboard one of the Emerald Ships. Yet I was indeed invited to sail with Captain Vaul and his crew when the time came for them to leave the shores of Nogoloth. I regret that I was unable to accept this unique proposition, but my work here requires that I remain ashore, at least for now. If I should chance upon the good captain and his crew once my task is complete, I will readily board their craft if the opportunity is afforded me again.

Captain Ertegun Vaul

A tall, powerfully-built man in his mid 40s, with the ebon skin seen only amongst the crews of the Emerald Ships that visit Nogoloth occasionally, Captain Ertegun Vaul is a charming conversationalist who has seen things and traveled to locations undreamt of by the inhabitants of the island-continent. He is fearless – or nearly so – and dogged in his pursuit of profit upon the black waters of the world. He has dabbled in sorcery, is more than a little acquainted with the ways of the gods (both benevolent and malign), and is a stalwart companion when trouble arises. Captain Vaul is currently in possession of the legendary Moon Dagger of Rhug-Dh’krhala, a weapon mentioned in both the Lzaaq Cycle and the Book of Nyshanib. He is loathe to discuss how it came to him, pointing only to the tenatcle-like scar that runs down the length of his left arm and smiling a melancholy smile.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 5
Arcane Power 10

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 0
Mind 1
Appeal 2

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 2
Ranged 0
Defense 1

Careers
Mariner 2
Merchant 1
Sorcerer 0
Priest 1

Boons
Born Sailor
Carouser

Flaws
Greed

Languages
Nogolothian, Emerald Shipman’s Speech

Equipment
Scimitar, d6+1
Alchemical Dagger d3+1 (rare, grants boon & ignores armor)
Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Lantern of U’um’nn

This artifact, which appears to the common eye as little more than a well-maintained ship’s lantern, reveals the manner in which those upon whom its light is cast will die. When lit, a large swarm of colorful moths are drawn from beyond space and time, and as they dance about the light the interplay of their beating wings shows individual’s death as though seen upon a moving tapestry. The lantern is highly magnetic and will render any compass within 50 feet of it unreliable for navigation.

BRP Characters: The Brothers Queng

Wherein your humble scribe presents a pair of NPCs for use with The Celestial Empire, the Basic RolePlaying game of life in Imperial China.

Doctor Queng Jian travels throughout Ming Dynasty China helping the people of the land with his exceptional medical skills. Jian has chosen to follow this nomadic life rather than accept an appointment as the Court Physician of a petty noble in Gansu Province, whose daughter Jian secretly loves but may never marry. On occasion, Queng Jian’s abilities draw the attention of a local magistrate who calls upon the doctor to assist in an investigation.

Jian is perpetually accompanied by his (much) less accomplished younger brother Yo, who, though a skilled storyteller, has little to show for his 22 years in the Middle Kingdom. The hulking Yo does do a fair job as a bodyguard for his brother – even if just by looking imposing to the vast majority of people the pair encounter.

Unfortunately for the Brothers Queng, a pair of outlaws knows as Flower Neck Bachelor and Earthquake Lo are actively traveling through the Celestial Empire disguised as Queng Jian and Queng Yo. Though the outlaws have yet to perpetrate anything outrageous enough to cause the Quengs serious legal trouble, their crimes have been escalating and it is only a matter of time before they cross a line that cannot be uncrossed. Unless, that is, the Brothers Queng can catch up with them and bring them to justice.

Queng Jian

Slight of build and quick of mind and hand, Queng Jian is the consummate physician. His bedside manner is impeccable and he shows the utmost respect for his patients and their needs. Jian is a serious and sober man, with a hint of melancholy about him. Jian seeks to do as much good as he can while ever attempting to expand his understanding of the scholarly arts.

Queng Jian
STR 12 CON 11 SIZ 10 INT 17 POW 16 DEX 17 APP 12 EDU 18
Hit Points 11 Major Wound 6 Qi Points 16 Age 29

Allegiances
Buddhism 2, Chinese Folk Religion 2, Confucianism 20, Daoism 0,
Esoteric Buddhism 0, Judaism 1, Islam 0

Home Region: Lower Yangzi
Profession: Traveling Doctor

Damage Bonus: none
Weapons: Fist/Foot/Head 51%, damage 1d3
Armor: none
Skills: Healing Lore 90%, Medicine 90%, Science: Natural History 63%, Drive: Cart 45%, Research 75%, K: History 75%, Science: Alchemy 55%, K: Northern China 65%, Meditation 70%, Insight 65%, Etiquette 65%, Appraise 50%, Bargain 55%, L: Mandarin 124%, Sense 40%, Spot 55%, Brawling 51%, Martial Arts: Brawling 28%, Gaming 50%, Dodge 50%, Persuade 40%, Navigate 25%, Listen 40%, Grapple 40%, Art: Calligraphy 30%, Perform: Singing 30%, Ride: Horse 20%, K: Art History 25%, K: Folklore 20%, K: Literature 45%, K: Streetwise 24%, Literacy: Chinese 51%, L: Cantonese 24%, Status 40%

Queng Yo

The opposite of his brother in every outward aspect, the boisterous Queng Yo is practically a giant among men in China. Ever since he was young, Yo has delighted in the telling of tales and he has now managed to turn his affection for the common stories into a profession capable of providing a passable income. A talented performer, Yo lacks the serious storyteller’s attention to detail and often improvises his way through the portions of narratives that he dislikes or doesn’t remember.

Queng Yo
STR 12 CON 15 SIZ 15 INT 13 POW 11 DEX 10 APP 16 EDU 15
Hit Points 15 Major Wound 8 Qi Points 11 Age 22

Allegiances
Buddhism 0, Chinese Folk Religion 20, Confucianism 0, Daoism 1,
Esoteric Buddhism 0, Judaism 0, Islam 0

Home Region: Lower Yangzi
Profession: Storyteller

Damage Bonus: +1d4
Weapons: Fist/Foot/Head 50%, damage 1d3 +1d4
Armor: none
Skills: Persuade 70%, K: Folklore 55%, K: Chinese Folk Religion 50%, Perform: Recite 90%, Art: Calligraphy 10%, Disguise 25%, Fine Manipulation 25%, Insight 70%, K: Literature 60%, Listen 50%, Perform: Sing 55%, Bargain 55%, Brawling 50%, Grapple 30%, Dodge 45%, Gaming 35%, Healing Lore 20%, L: Mandarin 103%, Literacy: Chinese 35%, Martial Arts: Brawling 30%, Stealth 25%, Sleight of Hand 25%, Etiquette 35%, Appraise 42%, Fast Talk 33%, L: Cantonese 30%, Sense 37%, Status 35%

T&T In Spaaaaaace!

Wherein your humble scribe presents an homage to a certain introspective & philosophical scifi program from the 1970s in the form of characters written up using the 7th Edition Tunnels & Trolls rules. Because he’s a very weird man.

T&T 30th Anniversary TinI’ve only played a handful of Tunnels & Trolls games in my life. And I’ve never played (or even read) Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes – which I believe to be essentially an iteration of the base T&T rules for modern non-fantasy gaming, though I could be wrong about that.

In any case, the core T&T rules seem ideally suited to adaptation for other genres, especially ones that (a) don’t benefit from an obsessively detailed combat system and (b) might appear on the surface to be exceptionally weird for RPGs (or, perhaps, ones lacking the appropriate degree of dour seriousness we’re all supposed to aim for as the avant garde, improvisational theatricians we’re supposed to be).

So from time to time the simplicity of T&T calls to me from the 30th Anniversary Edition’s little tin box I bought a few years back when a gas leak combined with an ice storm forced me and my wife to live in a hotel for a few days. And when that happens, I do weird things. Like write up several key cast members from a TV show I love as a test run for what it would be like to use T&T for a scifi game…

On September 13th, 1999, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon’s far side exploded catastrophically, knocking the Moon out of orbit, sending it and the inhabitants of Moonbase Landau hurtling uncontrollably into space. Led by the noble Commander Ivan King and featuring a talented multicultural crew, these unintentional explorers of the universe will often come face-to-face with strange aliens, questions of cosmic importance, and even death itself.

Ivan King / Leader / Human / 2
STR 13 CON 15 DEX 14 SPD 12
INT 15 PSI 12 LK 20 CHR 18

Height 6′ 3″ Weight 195 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +11

Talents Philosophy 18, Piloting 17, History 18
Languages English, Others

CommKey, Laser Pistol (4d6+16), Woven TechSuit (4)

Dr. Olympia Bertrand / Explorer / Human / 1
STR 10 CON 14 DEX 13 SPD 14
INT 17 PSI 15 LK 14 CHR 15

Height 5′ 9″ Weight 150 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +5

Talents Medical 23, Dancing 15
Languages English, Others

CommKey, Medical Kit, Woven TechSuit (4)

Prof. Sigurd Ernst / Explorer / Human / 2
STR 11 CON 11 DEX 13 SPD 12
INT 21 PSI 13 LK 15 CHR 12

Height 5′ 10″ Weight 175 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +5

Talents Science! 26, Philosophy 25, Religion 22
Languages English, Others

Wealth 1,000 Cr
CommKey, Woven TechSuit (4)

Chief Pilot Kevin Tate / Soldier / Human / 1
STR 15 CON 16 DEX 14 SPD 13
INT 12 PSI 9 LK 18 CHR 16

Height 5′ 11″ Weight 170 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +13

Talents Piloting 22, Fisticuffs 17
Languages English

Wealth 1,000 Cr
CommKey, Laser Pistol (4d6+16), Woven TechSuit (4)

Game Notes

I changed the T&T character class names a bit (Citizen is now Explorer, Warrior is now Soldier) and turned the WIZ stat into PSI.

None of the characters above have any PSI powers, which is good, since I don’t have any idea (or inclination, at the moment) to figure out how to handle such things. The short answer is that I’d probably just use a selection of the T&T spells (renamed, probably) to represent PSI abilities and either tweak the Wizard class a bit to be a Psionicist class or else do away with it entirely and come up with some way of letting the psionics develop in other character classes.

If this were going any further I’d probably tweak the Explorer class to be more than just the Citizen class with a different name, but for now making the distinction between combatants and not-really-combatants seemed fair.

Oh, and I also upped the starting number of Talents to two in anticipation of the crew running into tough aliens who have significant stat modifiers. Those plucky humans are always showing up the creatures who should rightly kick their tails. Hmm, maybe Humans ought to have a mod to their LK stat? Maybe. But that’s a discussion for a different time.

Traveller: The Professional Athlete Career (And Some Barnstorming Ceroballers)

It’s spring, or close to it, and that means that The Venomous Pao’s fancy turns to baseball. He can’t help it. And though that may make him a little odd for a raging geek blogger, that’s just who he is. On the plus side, he’s channeled this quirk into the creation of a new prior career for his favoritest old school SciFI game – Classic Traveller. And now… without further ado… here’s the Professional Athlete career (eer-eer-eer)!

Professional Athlete
Enlistment 9+
DM of +1 if STR or DEX 9+
DM of +2 if END 10+

Survival* 6+
DM +2 if END 9+

Position 8+
DM +1 if INT 9+

Promotion 9+
DM +1 if STR or DEX 11+

Re-enlist (4+terms served)+

*Failing a survival roll for a Professional Athlete seldom results in death. Instead, this result typically indicates a career ending injury or, less frequently, a scandal that forces the player out of the sport. On a failed survival roll, throw 10+ for a scandal-based end to the career (which reduces the character’s SOC by 1D). Otherwise a CEI reduces all physical attributes by 1D each. Only on a throw of 2 is character death indicated.

Ranks
Rank 0 Minor Leaguer (Scrub)
Rank 1 Journeyman
Rank 2 Regular
Rank 3 Star
Rank 4 All-Star
Rank 5 Superstar
Rank 6 Legend

Material Benefits
1 Low Psg
2 Mid Psg
3 High Psg
4 +1 Soc
5 +1 Int
6 Travellers’
7 Sponsorship Deal
Characters of Rank 5 or 6 are allowed a DM of +1 on this table.

Cash Benefits
1 1,000
2 5,000
3 10,000
4 20,000
5 50,000
6 100,000
7 200,000

Characters with Gambling or who have retired are allowed a DM of +1 on this table.

Sponsorship Deal: The character – so long as he or she maintains a professional public reputation – earns money from his or her sponsorship of various businesses and their goods. Characters of Rank 5 earn Cr 20,000 annually and those of Rank 6 earn Cr 50,000 per year.

Rank And Service Skills
Minor Leaguer: Athletics-1
Journeyman: Sport-1
Superstar: +1 Soc

Acquired Skills Table

Personal Development Table
1 +1 Stren
2 +1 Dext
3 +1 Endur
4 +1 Intel
5 Athletics
6 Brawling

Service Skills Table
1 Athletics
2 Carousing
3 Sport
4 Sport
5 Gambling
6 Streetwise

Advanced Education Table
1 Vehicle
2 Liaison
3 Recruiting
4 +1 Educ
5 Gun Cbt
6 Bribery

Advanced Education Table (EDU 8+ Only)
1 Medical
2 Instruction
3 Jack-o-T
4 Forgery
5 Admin
6 Pilot

Athletics: The individual is a trained athlete. This skill should be used as a favorable DM in situations that test athletic ability.

Sport: The individual is skilled in the rules and performance of a specific sport, which must be specified immediately upon receipt of this skill. DMs based on specific situations should be generated, and Sport skill should be used as a favorable DM. This skill may also prove useful for certain jobs.

The New Chuzaen Traveling Knights

Below are a few key players on the New Chuzaen Traveling Knights – a team of retired Ceroball Players who are barnstorming through the the Claybourne Subsector rather than growing up and getting “real” jobs now that their pro days are over. There’s no telling what kind of trouble a group like this can get into while traveling between systems. And sometimes they might even need to book passage with a scurvy crew of ex-Scouts, Marines, and the like.

#29 Sir Edward “Eddie Knightblade” Falshine IV
8AC97A Age 22 1 Term (Service: Professional Athlete, Final Rank: Minor Leaguer)
Athletics-3, Liaison-1
Cr100,000

#6 Frederick “Flexi” Fogel
898458 Age 26 2 Term (Service: Professional Athlete, Final Rank: Regular)
Athletics-1, Brawling-1, Ceroball-3, Carousing-1, Ground Car-1
Cr2,000

#18 Marion “Ox” Kozloski
B7A954 Age 38 5 Term (Service: Professional Athlete, Final Rank: All-Star)
Athletics-2, Ceroball-3, Liaison-1, Bribery-1, Gambling-1, Recruiting-1
Cr120,000

#44 Genero “Dash” Di Miasi
8A9786 Age 30 3 Term (Service: Professional Athlete, Final Rank: Regular)
Athletics-2, Ceroball-2, Recruiting-1, Instruction-1, Admin-1
Cr60,000

BoL Character: Professor Milam Ryde

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of Lemuria character he put together as an NPC in his slowly-developing Lovecraftian fantasy setting, Nogoloth.

A professor at Canton-on-Imisk University, Milam Ryde is a fearless explorer and talented cartographer. Professor Ryde has made the study of the lesser-known regions of Nogoloth (and the uninhabited islands nearby) his academic focus. He has led several expeditions into the unknown and has brought back numerous strange artifacts and bizarre biological samples many of which are on display in CU’s Dhawd Museum. That he frequently returns with fewer companions than he set out with is well-known. Some of the less scrupulous faculty occasionally encourage their more intellectually advanced students to join on with Ryde’s expeditions. That these academics then publish papers based on their vanished charges’ research is something of an open secret.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 3

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 1
Mind 1
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 2
Ranged 0
Defense 2

Careers
Scholar 2
Alchemist 1
Sailor 1
Physician 0

Boons
Learned: Geography
Born Sailor
Attractive

Flaws
Feels the Cold

Languages
Nogolothian, Ancient Khaarmish, Low Speech, Star Tongue Of The Elds

Equipment
Axe, 1d6+1
Very Light Armor (d3-1)

LL/AEC Rogues Gallery PDF Download

In case you haven’t noticed the Downloads page I added a couple of days ago, take a look up there at the end of the navigation bar and click. This is the page I’ll use for corralling the various PDFs that I occasionally put together out of blog material and other sources.

To help launch this section of the site officially (the unofficial launch came with the release of G-Man’s adventure for Barbarians of Lemuria) I’ve gone and made a PDF of the project I’ve been poking at off an on for a year now.

This PDF contains only the “by class” entries and not the “adventuring parties” I’ve done. If I do enough parties I’ll put together a PDF for those on their own. I may also decide to do another batch of “by class” entries for higher level NPCs. But for now, here’s your chance to snag a bunch of first level mooks in one handy volume.

Now maybe I can get myself off this rock my creativity seems to have run aground upon and produce something new within a couple of days 🙂