Trifletraxor

Welcome to the forums Siege!

New anti-spam measures taken. Tell me if it gives you any trouble.

Yup. The basic forum software is vBulletin, but I had a 3rd party add-on called vBSEO which in addition to SEO and link handling added the "like"-option. I found that the vBSEO software wasn't properly supported anymore, making it a security risk. I'm not sure what the entry point for the last hack was, but I removed it to be sure. Working now to stop the kitchen-spam-wave.

Spammers banned! Probably gotta add some new security questions though.

In case you wonder about the strange redirects these last days, yes, we got hacked again. The redirect to Chaosium was me overriding the redirect to the linkbucks site. We're up again, fresh new install and no malware or other stuff found on the scan. If you do notice anything strange (except that the URLs have changed, had to get rid of an old SEO plug-in), please do tell me though.

Just became a High Priest! Really looking forward to this one!

Okay, that's the second such post. I call spam android (too clever to be a 'bot)!

Where is the first one? My moderation is on slowmo as I'm roadtripping downunder at the moment, but I got rid of some kitchen spam yesterday. (Skydived for the first time too yesterday!)

Cheers,

Triff.

We've rented a cottage for next weekend - for CottageCon Winter 2013 Whiskey Edition.

Marriage Quest will be the main fokus of attention (in addition to whiskey of course!)

Hmmm, the elf was friendly, so the effects should be beneficial rather than harmful.

Yes, but he doesn't know human physiology and has only dealt with trolls earlier, so I feel I can dish out some pain together with any powers

One mushroom can be ingested or smoked with narcotic effect -- which propels the user into a spirit journey a la Hero Quest to enable him to get wise counsel, hidden information, heightened self-awareness, or whatever. It's the whole Sixties head trip, man, except that in this case the fungus really does provide enlightenment.

Release your inner fungi! I've certainly thought about it, but so have the rest of the group.

One mushroom transforms into a horde of little mushroom servants reminiscent of those little dancers in the Nutcracker Suite sequence of Disney's Fantasia. Like the three dogs from The Tinderbox or the genie from Aladdin and His Magical Lamp, they can perform seemingly impossible tasks for their master, for a limited duration or a limited number of times.

Dance my mushroom servants, dance! Hmm... Maybe a bit too nutty!

Oh, and all three mushrooms look and smell exactly alike, so you can't tell which one is which.

They've already been described and are different, but they don't know what they do is it doesn't really matter.

Each mushroom is able to summon the elf himself once to aid the adventurers. The exact method (such as throwing the mushroom onto the ground hard or tossing it into a fire) should be discovered accidentally in a moment of need.

Not a bad idea for one of them at least. They've already stepped on a squeaky "alarm-mushroom", they would probably despair if they tried to eat one for healing or whatnot in a dire situation only to have it say a loud "SQUEAK!", at until the elf showed up that is. Both cruel and nice!

One mushroom stretches and stiffens into a sturdy walking stick or staff that doubles as a devastating magic weapon. Maybe it sprays narcotic spores at the wielder's opponents.

Biological warfare sporeweapon. Hmm... I like it!

I have one I actually used to great effect in (ugh!) 1991, but it is HSCII encoded (handwriting standard code for information interexchange) and I am on a trip tomorrow, so you will have to wait until I can transcribe it.

Yeah! Looking forward to it. Have a great trip!

The initial mushroom transports the player-characters to an arcade-like universe where they must bounce across a mushroom kingdom to rescue a princess (or two) from an evil turtle king and his henchmen. Additional mushrooms provide assorted "power-ups." Success or failure in the alternate universe affects their fortunes in the "real" world in odd ways, with unexpected reminders of their otherworldly journey. For instance, after defeating the turtle king in the other world, the adventurers are invited to a banquet in their own where the main dish is turtle soup and turtle fudge cookies are dessert.

Hehe, I like this idea too. Have to modify it a bit though, as my players don't like the play getting too comical, but a transportation to a bizarre heroquest with realworld ramification sounds tempting.

Thanks!

If a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, then a lot of knowledge is a critical mass.

Deep beneath London, the Laundry archives occupy several miles of disused subway tunnel. The shelves are crammed with documents and reports. Eyewitness statements, newspaper cuttings, court transcripts, the diaries of madmen, autopsies, scientific papers, archived material – from these, the Laundry works to piece together the shape of the world. A seemingly innocuous report may contain vital information when correlated with a dozen other files. Triangulate the doctor's report about an outbreak of strange dreams with seismic activity under the Pacific, and find the traces of the sleeping god. Match the suppressed play from Shakespeare to troop movements in Syria to plot the shape of impending doom.

The Dossiers contain extracts from the murkier reaches of the Laundry's archives, a selection of unexplained encounters, unverified reports, uncorrelated data, loosely organised by whatever codeword seemed to fit. The truth exists in the unseen connections between them. The Mythos Dossiers contain dozens of reports, handouts, eyewitness accounts and deranged speculation about the horrors of the Mythos. Read them at your peril.

Some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age...

By Gareth Hanrahan, A. P. Klosky, James Knevitt, W. J. MacGuffin, Paul L Mathews, Brian Nisbet, John Snead, Jay Stratton and Graham Walmsley. 136 pages. Published May 2012 by Cubicle 7.

Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes, and happy the line manager whose wizards hath filled in their timesheets for this Sabbat-night.

The Laundry – that top-secret, bottom-drawer branch of British espionage – was founded to ensure that magic is kept under control, and that no-one summons the Great Old Ones ahead of schedule. The best way to fight magic is with more magic, which is exactly like fighting fire by hitting it with a molotov cocktail. Health and Safety can't help you now...

License to Summon explores the dark side of Computational Demonology and arcane science within the Laundry, as well as the magic of other agencies... and other entities. New spells, new gadgets, new ways to end the world!

By Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, A. P. Klosky, John Snead, Jay Stratton and Jason Durall. 128 pages. Published September 2012 by Cubicle 7.

(Magic World interview published in March, ported over from the Index page which is under another transformation: )

Q: So Ben Monroe, aka zomben here on the forums, you have just finished the manuscript for Magic World, a generic fantasy game that will be published by Chaosium. Can you tell us how the work with this game began?

A: Sure! A couple of years ago at DunDraCon (a local games convention) I was having a chat with Charlie. The BGB had been out for a while, and I was waxing nostalgic about past games of RuneQuest, Elric!, etc. We got to talking about a BRP Fantasy game, and what it could entail. A few weeks later I had the idea to take the existing material for Elric! and RQIII, and bash it into a full BRP fantasy game. I pitched that idea to Charlie and Dustin, and they both really liked the idea, so we decided to run with it.

Q: The credits of the playtest copy states that the book is primarily a reworking of previously publications from Chaosium. Can you tell us which supplements you chose to use material from and why just those books were chosen?

A: Essentially, we took the Elric! books, and a couple of RuneQuest III books. The core Magic World book includes most of the text of Elric!, plus the Creatures book from RQIII. I also went through the entire series of Elric! supplements, and pulled the sorcery spells out to include in the core. The RQIII Gamemaster’s Book forms the bulk of the MagicWorld GM pack. I also added the ships and sailing rules from “Seas of Fate” to the MagicWorld core. I’ve always been a big fan of the Earthsea books, and felt they should be in the core rules. Indeed, I’m making great use of them in my own home game.

For the most part, I stuck with these books, because I felt outside of hardcore BRP or Moorcock fans, the Elric! game never really got much notice. It was an absolutely marvelous game, but people who weren’t Elric/Moorcock fans never seemed to really get interested in it. The thought was that this is just a great game, that can completely stand on its own. So, let’s give it a second shot.

Finally, I should add that we did add a new sample setting in the book. The rules themselves don’t reference the setting, and is completely generic fantasy. But, toward the end of the book is a new fantasy setting which I completely love. My friend David Ackerman really pulled out the stops to create a neat little fantasy realm inspired by Celtic myth and folklore. It’s a small area, easily- droppable into any fantasy world you like, or you could just run it as is. Essentially it’s a small-ish kingdom, with all sorts of mysterious shenanigans happening. I love it, and hope others like it, too.

Q: Wouldl Magic World best be described as a de-Moorcocked Elric! or a generic fantasy Basic Roleplaying game system?

A: It’s a bit of both. I didn’t really change the Elric! rules, aside from adding a few things here and there that I liked from playing a ton of RuneQuest III over the years. For example, a simplified version of cultural skill packages, skill category bonuses, etc. Nick Middleton and I fiddled around with the combat rules a bit to make them more in line with what’s in the BGB, but (hopefully!) run a bit smoother.

Q: I see that the forces of order, balance and chaos known from the Elric! setting has made its way over to Magic World. What was the reason that these rules where included in an otherwise generic game system?

A: Yes, they were renamed as Light, Balance, and Shadow. So many fantasy stories and settings focus on great cosmic forces colliding, that we felt they were worth keeping. The way to gain Allegiance points for them are a bit different from the way it is in Elric!, but pretty much if you like Allegiance rules, they’ve stayed unchanged. If you don’t, just don’t use them. That’s one of the great things about this game. If you have it, and the BGB, you can add and remove things until you get it just the way you want it to be.

Indeed, in my home game, I skipped Allegiance entirely, and then bolted on using the superpowers rules from the BGB, and some of the neat new magic stuff from the brilliant Mythic Iceland, and Merrie England books.

Q: Will future fantasy supplements be written for the Golden Book, Magic World or both? Will Magic World be Chaosium’s new default line for fantasy?

My understanding is that MagicWorld will indeed be the core generic fantasy game line for Chaosium for the forseeable future. It was felt that Chaosium needed another core game, one that was accessible to a wide audience, and would encourage people to check out the system. Cthulhu and the BGB are a bit much for that purpose. So MagicWorld was meant to be a slim, complete fantasy game to introduce people to BRP.

Q: The Golden Book clocks in at about 400 pages. Do you have an idea about approximately how big the Magic World book will be? And most important, what’s the ETA?

A: The core rules will be significantly less than that. I’m thinking we’re looking at a 180-200 pp book. The idea was to create a solid, complete game that had a low price-point. I do not know what the ETA on this book is, but I know it’s currently in the production phase, so I’m hoping this year.

Q: Two more supplements for Magic World in addition to the core rulebook is being prepared: Advanced Sorcery and Gamemaster’s Pack. Can you tell us something about the content of these supplements?

A: Yes!

Advanced Sorcery is essentially a reprint of the Bronze Grimoire. I did keep the elemental and demon rules out of the core book for the most part, so they’ve been added in here. Also, the Drugs material from the Melnibone sourcebook appear here. They’re now repurposed as “Herbalism”. So, that’s an all-inclusive book of excellent magic stuff for both MagicWorld, and the BGB.

The Gamemaster’s Pack is essentially a reprint of the RQIII Gamemaster’s Book, along with a GM screen, and probably a pack of forms. I also took a ton of the sample NPCs from the various Elric! books (the NPC Digests I believe they were called) and shoved them in here.

This is really what I think was the most fun part of this whole project. Going through all these great books and supplements, blending them together and then being able to re-present them in a cohesive order.

Q: GM screen? Tell us more! What format will it be? Is it a heavy duty one or a light-weight version?

There will be a GM screen, but it will be specifically for MagicWorld. My understanding is that it will be similar in format to the Call of Cthulhu screen, which is a great screen. Solid cardstock, and a low profile.

Q: What future gems can we expect for Magic World? Are there other supplements for the old Elric! setting waiting to be de-Moococked? Any plans for publishing “fresh” supplements also for the Magic World line in the future?

I certainly hope there will be more material in the MagicWorld line! As far as mining the old Elric! supplements, I feel that we pretty much pulled all the worthwhile rules elements from the existing books. All that’s left is the source material and adventures, and there’s really no point in going to all that work on them.

Frankly, after the core books, I hope that we’ll see new material for the game. I have an idea for a campaign pack for the game, but have not yet pitched it to Chaosium. I need to finish up another supplement I’m doing for the HeroQuest game before I can start thinking about that.

But honestly, I’m really excited about seeing what other people can do with this stuff now.

Read the official press release from Chaosium here.

Any news?

My group have bben playing the main campaign from Moon Design's Sartar - Kingdom of Heroes for quite some time now, having only the third and last impossible task left before the marriage can be arranged. As usual, they've warped a bit on the way. Linda's Babeester Gor character is pregnant with something dark and is slowly transforming into a dragon (at which point it will turn into an NPC), skillfully guided by her dragonewt scout Manservant. Fredrik's Humakti has taken lots of vows and has become a cold killing machine. Morten's Ernalda healer regularly use great harmony magic to turn possible fights into friendly meetings (which bugs the warriors of course!). And the hero himself, Jaran's Orlanthi, is the clearly weakest, but also the most shrewd of the characters, using the others to protect him and practically to the impossible tasks for him.

Last session the group had travelled to Battle Valley to lift a dwarven curse they accidentally brought down on their clan (being fooled into it by King Blackmoor). Before entering the troll caves (where we ended the session), they spent time in the Funnybug cave, with creepy crawlers and lots of fungi. After befriending a black elf in there, the Orlanthi hero was giftet 3 mushrooms, which may have magical effect. Not being able to communicate verbally with the black elf, they have no idea what the effect of the mushrooms actually are.

Do anyone of you have any suggestions? I need a Magic Shroom Effect table!

Took some time, but should all be sorted out now!

Nope, it's not. But vBulletin 5, the next generation of the software, is on its way and will be optimized for mobile phones and tablets too.

It's not the folder permissions that is the problem. According to the vBulletin guys it's a server problem, so I've contacted them now, and they'll have a look at it. ticket 16203443!

Hopefully we'll have it resolved in not too long time.

I've asked the vBulletin guys for help with this one. The problem seems to be with the uploading of new images.

Hi!

You're supposed to be able to add your own custom avatar and upload pictures. Could you please tell me what kind of error message you're getting?

Cheers,

Triff.

The HQ2 Glorantha stuff is excellent for d100 gaming. I'm running the King of Sartar campaign myself now using d100rules.

Aces High: New Mexico, Dark Days in the Land of Enchantment, is a companion book for Chaosium‘s Aces High BRP supplement. Aces High: New Mexico is split into two sections; the first section is concerned with historical, geographical and societal issues that will allow the Master to explore some of the land of New Mexico during the appropriate period. The second section is the "Incident at Alice" scenario which will allow the players to interact with some of the people and creatures that live here.

In the scenario the characters will be involved in a bank raid, will chase an Apache outlaw across rugged terrain, be led into a deadly supernatural trap and meet a powerful Diabolist with an army of walking dead. Along the way they will begin to learn of the supernatural entities called the Kachina, sacred, mythical spirits of the Pueblo dwellers religion. The Puebloans themselves have a long and, at times, dark history. Some of which also waits to be discovered in one of their forgotten, ancient and holy sites.

The characters may begin to understand that not all Native Americans are the same. Being able to tell the difference between the thoughtful, artistic Puebloans and the warlike, aggressive Apache will give the characters some insight into the many divergent philosophies that are endemic of the native populations. In the end, learning this difference may be the weapon that allows the characters to succeed or fail in their quest.

Aces High: New Mexico has been designed to be a challenging adventure for mundane Aces High characters with some form of Otherworldly help, but could also be run for characters with their own Otherworldly abilities.

By Stuart Godbolt. 132 pages. Published by Chaosium July 2012.

Swords of Cydoria takes place on the continent of Markania on the mysterious world known as Uruta. Uruta is a savage barbaric world of flashing swords, mutant beasts, daring heroes, diabolical cults, ancient ruins, mysterious forces, and powerful artifacts. Against this backdrop of swords and sorcery is told a story of contact with alien worlds, the introduction of sciece-fiction technology, and the struggle for freedom against oppression.

Swords of Cydoria offers many opportunities for intrigue and adventure. Using the rules presented for this setting, players may create brooding barbarians, dashing adventurers, desperate freedom fighters, cunning aero-ship pilots, and much more.

The continent of Markania is a land of extremes, with frigid tundra covering the northern third, poisonous jungles and swamps blanketing the southern third. The middle is characterized by regions of exploding volcanoes, baking deserts, vast plains, inland gulfs, towering peaks, floating mountains, and dense forests. The deserts are home to ravenous sand squid and giant wasps. Dragonflies the size of horses dart over the dark jungles of deadly plants and poisonous miasma. Massive four-armed mutant apes occupy cliff-side caves overlooking a fetid swamp. Monstrous saurians haunt the ancient ruins of lost cities deep in the vinechoked forests.

Civilization is centered in the city-states of Cydoria, most of which are ruled by the Vrildarian Empire. The Empire conquered the city-states twelve years ago using advanced technology supplied by the Rhakadian League, aliens from the planet Malus.

During the War of Unification, the Empire was opposed by the Coalition of Timan, an alliance equipped with advanced technology of their own supplied by the Phanosian Alliance, enemies of the Rhakadians. The Coalition was eventually abandoned by their Phanosian allies and ultimately lost the war. Afterwards, the cities of the Coalition were occupied and its population enslaved. Many Coalition prisoners were shipped to prison camps in the deserts of Arus.

Life for the civilized people of Cydoria is roughly equivalent to that of ancient Rome or China, with areas of relative technical sophistication in cities such as Norukar. Barbarians, of course, live a much more primitive existence. People wield swords and wear armor of leather and steel. They tame strange animals as mounts and food. In recent years, contact with aliens has introduced sorcerous wonders such as electric lights and motors, broadcast power, energy weapons, and motorized vehicles.

The Vrildarian Empire maintains power over the empire through its monopoly on access to alien technology. Such wonders are available only to a select few members of the nobility and the punishment for unauthorized use of technology is severe. The sentence for carrying or using a laser pistol, for example, is the amputation of a hand. Despite this, smugglers from other worlds are able to slip past the Rhakadian orbital blockade and gain entry through the Oudh, the magical force field that protects Uruta from alien invasion, to sell their wares on the black market.

The invention of the aero-ship, flying vehicles powered by propeller-driven engines, has opened up the Markanian interior for colonization and settlement. Cydorian pioneers and refugees from the War of Unification have streamed west to establish a new life on the frontier.

Into this land stride mighty adventurers, be they resolute soldiers of the Demetrian resistance, cunning members of the crew of the Tonbo, crafty artifact hunters exploring an ancient ruin, mystical warriors of the Adhara, deadly assassins of the Katari, devious rogues of the Hidden Hand, notorious sky-pirates of the Dazumi, or simple townsfolk on the Markanian frontier. They fight for freedom, riches, and fame against the tyranny of those who would oppress them.

By Christian Conkle. 208 pages. Published by Chaosium August 2012.

Why do they describe it as the second BRP adventure contest, isn't it the forth?

When your friend William Cartwright unexpectedly comes into an inheritence, you are invited to visit his isolated Lancashire estate. But all is not as it seems at Shirdley Hall.

The Mystery of Shirdley Hall, by Adrian Jones and Chris Hilton, is a 30-page adventure set in the alternate horror seventeenth century of Clockwork & Cthulhu.

Apart from the adventure itself, the PDF contains a new monster, new spells, new tomes and is amply illustrated with character portraits, maps and plans.

Flintlock & Steel: Renaissance Adventures are a series of PDF adventures published by Cakebread & Walton at pocket-money prices for use with the Renaissance Deluxe rules. Some will tie in with existing Renaissance game worlds, while others will be stand-alone adventures.