Echo Chamber Newsflash: Cryptworld Cometh

Well, well, well. It’s finally happened. Ol’ Dan Proctor from Goblinoid Games has taken that Pacesetter System he bought the rights to and put together something to replace Chill (which he couldn’t buy the rights to, because someone else has them, and isn’t doing anything useful with them).

Here’s the main part of the blog post/press release:

CRYPTWORLD is a Pacesetter System horror game in which you play an investigator of the unexplained. Any kind of horror is possible, from hunting classic monsters to fighting the secret manipulations of interdimensional aliens, and much more! Be an independent hunter of the horrors in the world, or be a member of one of the several organizations provided, each with different motivations.

CRYPTWORLD covers much of the same ground as CHILL, but CRYPTWORLD goes well beyond it and handles many more subgenres of horror. It is a more complete presentation of horror rules, game advice, and creatures from different horror subgenres so that you can play any kind of horror game you prefer. Your characters can be members of one of the several example organizations that investigate the unexplained, rather than be limited to only one organization (i.e. S.A.V.E.). This also means that there is no specific assumed game setting.

Coming late September!

So bring on late September already! That should give me plenty of time to snag Cryptworld, digest all the good new stuff, and maybe even convince some folks to give it a go for a Halloween game.

BoL: Mission to Enceladus

It’s time for another imaginary movie with Barbarians of Lemuria (etc.) stats for the major players. This time, let’s check out a completely fictional East German science fiction “classic.”

In 1974, after the success of Stanley Kubrick’s film of Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Andrei Tarkovsky’s version of Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris, the East Germans decided to get in on the deeply philosophical (and sometimes psychedelic) science fiction film action. Thus was born Einsatz zu Enceladus (Mission to Enceladus), which tells the story of a group of international explorers traveling to (oddly enough) Enceladus, one of the moons of Saturn. This being East Germany in the thick of the Cold War, the film is replete with Communist/Socialist propaganda despite its initial conceits of an East-West partnership in exploring space.

Under the auspices of the IWP (Internationale Weltraumforschung Partnerschaft, or international space exploration partnership), a crew comprised of an American soldier, a British scientist, a Russian cosmonaut, and an East German engineer set out in a Soviet spacecraft for Enceladus after a number of radio transmissions – in ancient Greek! – are received from that icy moon. The first half of the film or so consists of slow, largely silent shots of the crew performing their assorted duties and looking at very nice computer readouts, rather like the filmmakers were aping 2001 very closely and carefully.

The propaganda starts to creep in about the time the crew passes Mars (the Red Planet, get it?). At this point the swaggering, cartoonish American soldier, Colonel Rick Carson, begins hitting on the taciturn yet beautiful (and intelligent!) Soviet pilot, Commander Valentina Yegorova. Carson tries to buy her affections with stories of American excess. He breaks into a musical number (yes, it’s wildly out of place) in the style of Elvis movies. And ultimately he tries to force himself on her, only to be stopped with a strong punch to his glass (lantern) jaw by the ugly yet honest and upstanding (and intelligent!) East German engineer, Lieutenant Knut Volkmann. Being a creature of much bluster and little-to-no substance, Carson backs down immediately.

Throughout all of this the British scientist, Professor Alec Baxter-Pearl, is shown to be a weak-willed (and incompetent!) lackey of the domineering American.

Once the ship reaches Saturn the movie turns back towards the somber. For what feels like a very long time, we are treated to some slightly less stunning visuals and more of the slow, quiet shots. Eventually, an outpost is sighted on the surface of Enceladus – an outpost that looks for all the world like the Parthenon perched high atop an outcropping of rock rising from the icy seas that cover the moon.

The ship’s landing module, piloted by Yegorova, descends to the surface, with all four crew members aboard. Once on Enceladus, Carson, Volkmann, and Baxter-Pearl set out to explore the “ruins” and perhaps make contact with whoever lives there. Yegrova stays behind to helm the landing module in case of any trouble.

The three explorers discover a set of long stairs cut into the rock and ascend to the summit. They poke about the marble structures and are eventually greeted by a sole white-furred, yeti-like being wearing Greek-style clothing. The creature converses with Baxter-Pearl, revealing himself to be Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the gods. When he is told that the Olympian gods are no longer found on Earth, he flies into a rage and vows to destroy the planet for its insolence. Or something like that.

Baxter-Pearl tries to calm Hephaestus, spouting off incessantly about all of the Greek ideals that live on in the world (Democracy comes up more than once), but the “god” is having none of it (“Democracy is for fools!” he shouts back in response). Carson, back in stereotype mode, tries to fight Hephaestus, is beaten, and begs for mercy, offering to sell out the entire planet so that he may live on in service to the god. He is slain for his troubles, and Baxter-Pearl is destroyed as well (on principle, one presumes).

Volkmann escapes and returns to the landing module, where he manages to stammer out a brief explanation of what has transpired. Alarms then go off, indicating the launch of a missile from the west (which just happens to be painted red, white, and blue). Volkmann and Yegorova spring into action, launching from the moon intent on intercepting the projectile – even if it means their own doom. Instead of dying, however, the crafty engineer devises a way to “fire” the landing module at the missile and deflect it back to the surface where it might just destroy Hephaestus.

The plan works. The East German and the Russian embrace. (A) god is destroyed. The world is saved by Marxist-Leninist ideology. And the credits roll over brass-heavy closing music.

Notes

Astronaut/Cosmonaut as a career is meant to cover all of the things that go with being an astronaut, like vacc suit operation, piloting, operating communications arrays, etc.
Scientist as a career represents an overall science background, while specific careers like Archaeologist or Physicist represent the more specific fields of study identified by their names.
Spacesuits are rated Light, Medium, and Heavy. Light suits provide little defense and are not rated for extravehicular or direct contact with hostile atmospheres/environments for more than 1 hour. Medium and Heavy suits provide more protection at a cost to mobility and are capable of 2 and 4 hours EVA/hostile environment activity.
Laser Weapons are incredibly accurate and grant a +1 to Ranged COmbat Ability.

Characters

Professor Alec Baxter-Pearl / Lifeblood 9 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength -1 Agility 0 (-1) Mind 3 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 2 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Archaeologist 2 Poet 1 Scientist 1 Astronaut 0
Boons:
Flaws:
Languages: English, Russian, German, Greek
Equipment: Medium Spacesuit (d6-1), Archaeological Tools, Hand Computer

Colonel Rick Carson / Lifeblood 12 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 1 (0) Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 0 Ranged 2 Defense 1
Careers: Soldier 2 Astronaut 1 Musician 1 Politician 0
Boons:
Flaws:
Languages: English
Equipment: Laser Pistol (d6), Medium Spacesuit (d6-1)

Commander Valentina Yegorova / Lifeblood 10 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 2 Melee 0 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Cosmonaut 3 Physician 1 Scientist 0 Farmer 0
Boons:
Flaws:
Languages: Russian, English
Equipment: Laser Pistol (d6), Light Spacesuit (d6-2)

Lieutenant Knut Volkmann / Lifeblood 12 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 1 (0) Mind 2 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 2 Melee 0 Ranged 2 Defense 0
Careers: Engineer 2 Astronaut 2 Soldier 0 Bureaucrat 0
Boons:
Flaws:
Languages: German, Russian, English
Equipment: Laser Rifle (d6+2), Heavy Spacesuit (d6)

Space Yeti Hephaestus / Lifeblood 20
Attributes: Strength 4 Agility 1 Mind 2
Combat Abilities: Defense 1 Protection d6-2
Attack with Fist +2; 2d6

Echo Chamber Newsflash: Heroes of Hellas Now Available

Just in case you haven’t heard it elsewhere, this seems like a good time to note that Heroes of Hellas, the Barbarians of Lemuria “ancient Greece” supplement, is now available.

I haven’t picked this up yet, so I can’t tell you anything about it. But if you’re itching to do some crazy Jason & the Argonauts stuff using BoL, I presume this will be worth your time and money to download. If I get around to checking it out I’ll be sure to let everyone know what I think. Meanwhile, I’m headed back to melting in the 103ºF heat here in fabulous Austin.

The Barbarians of Heavy Metal Kickstarter Is Live

The Kickstarter for Barbarians of Heavy Metal is live. You know BoHM, right? It’s by Nathaniel, who also brought us Barbarians of the Aftermath. His design diaries are hosted right here at Strange Stones, too.

Anyway, here’s the basic pitch from the BoHM Kickstarter:

Barbarians of Heavy Metal (BoHM) is a Table-Top Roleplaying game set in the post-apocalyptic 31st century where sonic technology and centuries of warfare have created the Metalsphere: a series of interstellar feudal empires based around the veneration of the Rocktagon: the Eight Great Schools of Rock.

Players take on the role of Metalheads, knights of the 31st century who roam the Metalsphere in pursuit of fame and glory. They are sonic warrior-wizards who possess rare and powerful Superstring Manipulators, sonic weaponry in the shape of musical instruments that can vibrate the underlying structure of the universe, bending it to the whim of the virtuoso musician.

The most elite Metalheads are granted the privilege of ‘Riding the Heavy Metal’: Titans! These giant robot combat vehicles tower over the battlefield and possess the power of an entire tank battalion. The nobility of headbanger society, those who possess these massive behemoths are, by definition, more metal than everyone else: the rock stars idolized by a society of rock stars.

BoHM is a conversion of the very popular BoX system found in Barbarians of Lemuria by Simon Washbourne. It is a simple game with a lot of variety in character and adventure types. You can be a wandering Sonic Warrior, a Titan Rider, a Soldier, Groupie (31st century courtesans), Manager (the officers of the 31st century), Space Cowboy, Warp Rider, Inquisitor or any mix of 28 different careers. Add to that 8 attributes, eight different Schools of Rock and a wide variety of musical instruments to specialize in and equipment to outfit yourself with, and you open up a universe of possibilities.

So if you’re ready to rock, why not drop by the Barbarians of Heavy Metal Kickstarter page and do that thing you do when you do the Kickstarter thing?

DCC Party: A Merda Job For Patrão Ferrão

Wherein your humble scribe presents a (probably doomed) party of Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG characters and the monsters that will most likely leaving nothing left but memories of the poor schlubs.

Smoke hung thickly in the humid air of the back office. It was always humid this time of year in Porto Alego. Maximiano Ferrão hated the humidity almost as much as he hated the city itself. But business was business and though he could generally trust Anacleto to keep things running properly, sometimes the patrão had to handle things personally. And since it had been a while since Maximiano had come down from his estate, today was one of those days.

“Is there any other business that needs my attention?” he asked of his tenente. “I’d like to be back up front before that fat macaco from the guard comes sniffing around for his payoff. I want to speak with him personally this time.”

“There’s just one thing, patrão,” Anacleto Alves rasped. “It seems we’ve got a bug problem at the… warehouse… on the east pier.”

“A bug problem, Anacleto? What do you mean a bug problem? Maximiano Ferrão’s goods are not known for their bugs.”

“These aren’t, ah, normal insects, patrão. They’re big. Really big. And they… well, it sounds like they talk.”

“Merda! It’s that bruxo maldito again. Why haven’t the boys dealt with him yet? He’s bad for business, Cleto. Very bad for business.”

“The last group we sent to his condenável tower came back in a box, patrão. A very small box.”

“Droga! I’m sick of this filho da puta! Get in touch with the sacerdotes over at the church and get them on this. Clearly we need a little bit of help dealing with this. If they don’t jump at the chance to crucify a bruxo tell them we’ll make a nice donation. They could use a new bell. The old one sounds so tired.”

“Consider it done, patrão. Consider it done.”

“Good, now let me get out of this maldito humidity…”

“Ah, about the warehouse, patrão?”

“Oh, that. Send that little bicha Tiago. I don’t like how he hangs around my daughter, so it won’t matter if he doesn’t come back. Give him a couple of âncoras and let him hire some thugs who aren’t part of the family. We can’t afford to lose any more leales right now.”

“Claro, patrão.”

Tiago Duarte / Smuggler / Thief 1 / Lawful
STR 10 AGI 15 STA 7 PER 10 INT 13 LUK 9
Birth Augur: Guardian Angel (+0 Escape Traps)
HP 8 AC 11 CP 29 GP 3
Short Sword (1d6), Sling (1d4), 30 Stones, Waterproof Sack, Small Sack

Nash / Caravan Guard / Thief 1 / Neutral
STR 11 AGI 10 STA 10 PER 8 INT 12 LUK 17
Birth Augur: Four-Leafed Clover (+2 Find Secret Doors)
HP 6 AC 11 CP 26 GP 4
Short Sword (1d6), Dagger (1d4), Padded Armor, 1 yd Linen, 10′ Chain

Ponty / Jester / Warrior 1 / Chaotic
STR 14 AGI 13 STA 10 PER 14 INT 6 LUK 13
Birth Augur: Born Under The Loom (+1 Skill Checks)
HP 13 AC 13 CP 30 GP 3
Longsword (1d8), Leather Armor, Dart (1d4), Silk Clothes, Lantern

Leocádia Ferrão / Astrologer / Wizard 1 / Neutral
STR 5 AGI 12 STA 4 PER 11 INT 14 LUK 13
Birth Augur: Seventh Son (+1 Spell Checks)
HP 3 AC 10 CP 26 GP 17
Dagger, Spyglass, Large Sack
Spells: Color Spray (Gibbering Allies), Magic Shield (Demonic Voice), Ropework (Chain Casting), Sleep (Breath of Life), Ventriloquism (None)

Hornhoppers

Though they appear insectile, like 4′ tall humanoid locusts or grasshoppers, Hornhoppers are actually demonic creatures from the nether hells, summoned to this world by foul magic. They are covered in chitin marked with coruscating bands of colors and have thick, antler-like structures atop their heads.

Hornhoppers are motivated by hunger and will generally attack the least-armored (i.e., easiest to take a bite out of) individual in a party first. In addition to their bites, they occasionally wield small curved daggers and are capable of a dangerous impaling jump attack with their antlers. Hornhoppers devour flesh, bone, sinew, hair, and anything else organic that is part of a kill, leaving nothing behind.

Hornhopper: Init +3; Atk bite +3 melee (dmg 1d3) or jump/antlers +1 (dmg 1d7) or dagger +0 melee (dmg 1d4); AC 13; HD 2d12; MV 20′ walk or wall-crawl, jump 30′; Act 2d20; SP Ravenous (cannot “recover the body” of any party members left behind as long as one or more Hornhoppers survive); SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will -3; AL C.

Echo Chamber News Flash: Astounding Adventures Available!

ASTOUNDING ADVENTURES Front Cover Astounding Adventures, the BRP Pulp supplement, is apparently now available for ordering from the Chaosium website. As their ad copy says:

Welcome to the heart-pounding, two-fisted, action-filled world of the Pulps! Throughout this book you will find Basic Roleplaying rules for new character types, skills, combat, magic, mad science, and a plethora of villains, henchmen and monsters.

Accompanying the text are several sidebars containing special, optional rules to help jack up the pulpiness of your campaign, and rules aimed specifically towards those who enjoy using miniatures and map grids in their games. How far you want to push the envelope is up to you—and you’ll find all the tools you need within these pages.

So strap on a rocket-pack, load up your .45, and get ready to take on a dozen Nazis single-handedly, while standing atop the ruins of a lost Aztec temple! Once you open up the Pulps you are in for the adventure of a lifetime!

I’ll no doubt be picking this up soon. At $20.95 it seems like a steal, and I do so very much love pulpy RPG goodness.

BoL/H+I: The Dukes’ War

Wherein your humble scribe presents some potential allies (or antagonists) in Oriad, a world he’s been messing with for a long time now, in Honor + Intrigue format. H+I, if you don’t know, is a nifty offshoot of Barbarians of Lemuria that’s well worth a look.

The Dukes’ War was a conflict that raged between the Houses of Madréz and Valdaño in the Kingdom of Ordoño for twenty years. Both houses claimed to represent the true line of royal succession after the death of Baltazar III and, after each failed to receive support in the Court of the Black Queen, open warfare was declared.

The Dukes’ War ended 97 years ago, when Emerenzia Viora of Combriazzi successfully negotiated the Treaty of Soderno, which divided the kingdom into two new countries: The Duchy of Madréz and The Duchy of Valdaño.

Recently, factions within both countries have begun reconciliation and reunification talks. Unfortunately, there are still many citizens of both Duchies that would rather see their own country achieve ascendence by force rather than achieve unification peacefully. Among these are two secret societies – The Order of the Unseen Pyramid in Madréz and The Crimson Brotherhood in Valdaño- whose assassins play against one another for the future of the Duchies in an epic game of chess.

Recently, Duke Xaime Ignacio Omero de Madréz was assassinated, by his own subjects (members of the Order of the Unseen Pyramid), for his aggressive pro-unification stance. In his stead, the Duchess Anaïs Olaria Flores y Marín de Madréz now rules. In stark contrast with her late husband, she is a staunch voice for Madrezaño independence. There are whispers in the Court that she herself is a ranking member of the Order and may well have personally handled the assassination of the Duke.

Meanwhile, Duke Alejo Ulises Prieto de Valdaño, at the urgings of some former comrades-in-arms based in Galiana, is actively pushing for a unified Ordoño – with House Valdaño in power, of course. The Duke believes that he, along with his Galian allies, can successfully challenge the Empire of Roczny for dominance of Oriad if he can command a united Ordoño.

Duchess Anaïs Olaria Flores y Marín de Madréz / Lifeblood 10 / Fortune 6 / Advantage 3
Motivation: Maintain Madrezeño Independence
Qualities: Might -1 Daring 1 Savvy 2 Flair 3
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Noble 2 Diplomat 1 Spy 1 Temptress 1
Boons: Beguiling, Great Wealth, Membership (Order of the Unseen Pyramid)
Flaws: Obligation (Madréz), Terrible Secret
Languages: Urra Lucia (N), Ora Luccia (F)
Equipment: Dagger (d3-1)

Duke Alejo Ulises Prieto de Valdaño / Lifeblood 10 / Fortune 4 / Advantage 3
Motivation: Restore Ordoño (with Valdaño in power, of course)
Qualities: Might 1 Daring 3 Savvy 0 Flair 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 3 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Noble 2 Duelist 1 Soldier 1 Hunter 1
Boons: Daredevil, Laugh in the Face of Danger, Friends in High Places (Galiana)
Flaws: Tragic Fate, Obligation (Valdaño)
Languages: Urra Lucia (N), Galia
Equipment: Cutlass (d6+1), Flintlock Pistol (d6+1)

Order of the Unseen Pyramid Assassin / Lifeblood 9 / Advantage 1 (L3 Retainer)
Qualities: Might 0 Daring 1 Savvy 2 Flair 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Assassin 2, Alchemist 1
Boons: Poisoner, Poison Resistance
Flaws: Obligation (Order), Zealot
Languages: Urra Lucia (N)
Equipment: Dagger (d3+1), Epee (d6)

Crimson Brotherhood Assassin / Lifeblood 8 / Advantage 1 (L3 Retainer)
Qualities: Might 1 Daring 2 Savvy 0 Flair 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Assassin 2, Duelist 1
Boons: Sneaky, Friends in Low Places
Flaws: Obligation (Brotherhood), Unsettling
Languages: Urra Lucia (N)
Equipment: Epee (d6+1), Garrote (d2/Strangle)

BoL: Sweetly Sings The Mourning Bird

Continuing our survey of imaginary movies, which includes providing Barbarians of Lemuria stats for the main players, we turn our inner eye towards the 1997 Korean cinema classic, Sweetly Sings The Mourning Bird (애도 조류는 여전히 감미 롭게 노래). Though this film doesn’t feature any effects by Ray Harryhausen, the climax is a rather stunning sequence in which the protagonists turn their astounding martial skills against an entire army of Chinese soldiers, their general, and a 9 foot tall terra cotta warrior/golem thing. So there’s that, which is good enough for us.

The central narrative of the film follows the journey of young An Do-Keun, from his humble beginnings as a blacksmith’s son in rural Korea through his rise to the heights of the martial world. His master is a grouchy old swordsman whose skill with the blade is rumored to have accomplished many great feats but who is also responsible for the death of a woman who was once the Chinese Emperor’s most beloved concubine.

We find out, via flashback, that the woman in question was actually some kind of supernatural assassin sent by the Lord of the Underworld to murder the Emperor and pave the way for evil eunuchs to rule China. A brief scene involving a many-tentacled puppet (whose strings you can barely see) illustrates the battle, but there’s not much time spent on this portion of the story.

In any case, the Emperor is a rational man of modern thought who never believed this tale, and he banished Sook (then called Lu I-po) to Korea, where he is no longer able to exert influence in the Imperial Court. Hold that thought – it’s important, but it will take a little while to get back to.

Twenty years later (according to the on-screen text), the drunken, irascible swordsman has taken the name Sook Seong-Kim and done his best to vanish into his new country. One winter day he stumbles drunkenly into a town that is under siege by Chinese soldiers disguised as bandits – just as the town’s blacksmith is coldly murdered because he won’t surrender the blade he is crafting for the Korean emperor. In a flash, Sook’s inherent nobility returns and he makes swift work of the rabble with only a stick, a rake, a hammer, and finally the still steaming sword the blacksmith had been working on. The sword sequence in particular is stunning and amusing as Sook is perpetually tossing the blade from mittened hand to mittened hand to avoid burning himself.

In the aftermath of all of this, the blacksmith’s young son – our previously noted protagonist, of course – begs Sook to teach him how to be a great warrior so that he can protect his country and never allow another boy’s father to die. Sook, disturbed that the people responsible for this tragedy were his own, takes the boy under his wing and begins training him. A musical montage follows, naturally, and in the span of 3-1/2 minutes of Korean pop (sung, it turns out, by the actor who plays An) the boy becomes both a man and a master swordsman in his own right.

The two swordsmen, young and old, travel about Korea for an unspecified length of time, righting wrongs and defending the populace from the depredations of bandit, pirate, and the like. On one of their adventures they wind up taking on a new companion, the Sadie Hawkins-esque Pak Myung-sun, a barbarian woman from the north, who serves the dual role of comedy relief and love interest. Pak chases the affections of An relentlessly, but he doesn’t fall for her. We’re privy, through a sequence in which the old master accidentally sees Pak emerging from a hot spring, to the knowledge that the woman isn’t as outsized as she seems in her dirty quilted armor (though she is still definitely not a small woman – think Kirby’s Big Barda here). Sook keeps this knowledge to himself, though.

At one point we cut back to China, where we learn that the old Emperor has gone senile and the country is now in the grip of a military coup lead by the exceptionally large and evil General Kwan. The General is, of course, under the influence of a small cadre of eunuchs who are clearly in league with the forces of Hell who were thwarted by Sook/Lu in the prologue. Kwan, at the urgings of the eunuchs, is on a path towards invading Korea in the name of the Emperor and plans for the invasion are revealed in small pieces. Reports of the “great Korean heroes” punctuate the briefing, with Kwan starting to piece together that Sook/Lu – his own old master, we learn in a flashback – is involved.

Back in Korea, our heroes have a few more little adventures, with each one revealing a bit more of the Chinese plot to invade Korea. Soon after, the invasion (and the heart of the story) begins at last.

In short order, we reach the climax of the film, wherein the Chinese army, led by Kwan and assisted by the giant clay warrior golem, face off against Sook, Pak, and An. An spends much of his time routing the soldiers, while Sook engages with Kwan and Pak leads a small force of brave Korean warriors against the golem. Things go fairly poorly for the Koreans initially, and Sook is defeated and left for dead by his old pupil. An then engages with the General, wild with anger and grief over the apparent death of his master/second father.

Across the battlefield, Pak’s cadre has been defeated by the golem, leaving only her and her large axe standing between the creature and the Korean Emperor’s palace. She fights valiantly and ultimately bests the creature, but not before suffering a number of grievous wounds and being almost completely stripped of her bulky, padded armor in the process. This does, conveniently, reveal her to be the far more beautiful woman that she actually is. You can see where this is going, I’m sure.

We cut back to the showdown between An and the General, whose battle has escalated into epic territory, with flying leaps and sundered trees and all of the over-the-top stuff you’ve been built up for based on the flashbacks showing what these two swordsmen’s master was capable of in his prime. The CGI and wirework in this sequence is serviceable, but to the modern eye it definitely seems a bit dated.

Needless to say, An winds up winning. Sure, there are a couple of teasing moments where it looks like he will fail, but really, they wouldn’t have made the movie if that were ultimately the case. His father’s last sword does shatter at one point under the powerful and unrelenting blows of the General, but even that is not enough to stop the great hero.

The real heart-rending drama comes in the aftermath, when it’s unclear if Pak will pull through, choking and gasping as she confesses her undying love for An. The young hero cradles her in his arms, tears streaming down his face as another love song (again, sung by the actor who plays An) swells to accompany a montage sequence of Pak being treated by physicians and slowly but surely recovering.

In the end, of course, everything turns out fine, with Pak and An marrying and becoming legendary heroes of Korea. We are shown a glimpse of their future, about a year later, with a prosperous farm, two beautiful twin children, and An hammering out a new sword on his father’s anvil.

Ah, but what of the seemingly defeated Sook? Just as you think there’s a giant hole in the script, An picks up the still cooling sword from the anvil and tosses it, steaming, through the air where is it caught by none other than Sook’s charred-mittened hand. The old master smiles, nods at the happy couple, and mounts a horse to ride off into the sunset. Westward, to China, to finish cleaning house.

Sook Seong-Kim (Lu I-po) / Lifeblood 11 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 2 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 3 Ranged 0 Defense 3
Careers: Warrior 3 Physician 1 Scholar 1 Vagabond 0
Boons: Swordsman, Carouser
Flaws: Distrust of Sorcery
Languages: Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese
Equipment: Sword (d6+1), Very Light Armor (d3-1)

An Do-Keun / Lifeblood 12 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 2 Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 3 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Warrior 1 Blacksmith 2 Scholar 1 Merchant 1
Boons: Attractive, Swordsman
Flaws: Feels the Heat
Languages: Korean, Cantonese
Equipment: Boon Sword (d6+2), Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Pak Myung-sun / Lifeblood 15 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 1 (0) Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 3
Careers: Warrior 1 Barbarian 2 Pirate 1 Thief 1
Boons: Attractive, Hard-To-Kill
Flaws: Country Bumpkin
Languages: Korean
Equipment: Great Axe (d6+5), Medium Armor (d6-1)

General Kwan / Lifeblood 14 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 5 Agility 1 (0) Mind 2 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 2 Melee 2 Ranged 2 Defense 2
Careers: Soldier 3 Torturer 2 Warrior 1 Scholar 0
Boons: Swordsman, Poison Immunity, Cerulean Strength
Flaws: Arrogant, Ugly & Brutish
Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean
Equipment: Great Sword (d6+7), Heavy Armor (d6)

Chinese Soldiers (Rabble) / Lifeblood 3 / Hero Points 0
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 1 (0) Mind -1 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged -1 Defense 0
Careers: Soldier 0
Languages: Mandarin
Equipment: Swords or Spears (d6+1), Medium Armor (d6-1)

Giant Terra Cotta Warrior / Lifeblood 30
Attributes: Strength 4 Agility −1 Mind -2
Combat Abilities: Defense -1 Protection d3
Attack with Sword +1; d6+6
Attack with Fist, +0; d6+4

Echo Chamber Newsflash: Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Kickstarter Live

Yep, the Kickstarter for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition is live. If such things interest you, here’s your chance to make things happen.

I can say that in the two playtest games I was able to take part in that I didn’t personally care for the changes and additions to the system. But just because they weren’t my cup of eldritch ichor doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy their flavor.

Speaking of the playtests, I can’t answer any questions about the new version of the game because (a) I think I’m still under an NDA and (b) I don’t really remember much except not liking the changes. Hopefully there’ll be a bit more information available than is currently up on the Kickstarter to help people understand if the changes will be to their liking.

WNMHGB Character: Lieutenant Hamaré Negasi-D’Abo

Wherein your humble scribe knocks out a lifepath generator-produced character for the Trek-themed, Microlite20-powered, Where No Man Has Gone Before. Because he’s geeked out about seeing the next Star Trek film this coming weekend, that’s why.

Hamaré Negasi-D’Abo was born on the frontier world of Balthaz II, in the midst of her mother’s research to devise a cure for the Garrosh Fever, which was plaguing a number of Federation worlds at the time. Before Hamaré was two her mother had returned to Earth where she continued her scientific pursuits in relative safety while Hamaré’s father, Negasi Haile-Mariam, served in the Ethiopian parliament. Hamaré’s childhood was typical and she had many friends while growing up.

Her early Starfleet career was almost singularly without incident, with her time at the Academy and her first tour of duty – spent stuck behind a desk pushing papers – yielding nothing of the sort of adventure often associated with the active and exciting life she expected when she enlisted.

Just as Hamaré was finishing her second tour and thinking of leaving Starfleet to pursue a career in private research, she was involved in the Tre’gok Klasq incident of 2329. It was Hamaré’s keen instincts and insight into behavior patterns that helped to uncover the Klingon spy, thus preventing numerous civilian deaths.

Upon her promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade Hamaré was assigned to the Constitution Class USS Constellation, serving under Captain Esai Hernandez. In her first tour aboard the Constellation the ship found a mysterious alien device orbiting Dannav III. Once again, her quick thinking, empathy, and communications skills proved critical to saving the day and preventing the destruction of the ship.

Her second tour aboard the Constellation was highlighted by an assault on the ship perpetrated by Klingons. Hamaré was key to the successful handling of this incident and her commanding officer, the Vulcan T’Madh, realized at this time that her young protegé was capable of greater things than merely serving as a sensor monitor and data analyst. It was T’Madh who recommended Hamaré for her new postion, aboard the Miranda Class USS Rio Grande. T’Madh maintains active contact with Hamaré and serves as something of a mentor to the newly-minted Lieutenant.

Lt. Hamaré Negasi-D’Abo / Human / Blue Shirt (Science) 6
XP 0 HP 34 AC 14 AP 3
STR 11 (+0) DEX 12 (+1) INT 16 (+3) CHA 14 (+2)
Skills: Communication (T) +9, Engineering +4, Knowledge (T) +9, Medicine +4, Physical +4, Subterfuge +4
Talents: Behavioral Analysis, Trained Skill (Communication), Empathy, Exploit Weakness, Plan
Melee Attack Bonus: +6; Ranged Attack Bonus: +7