Sean_RDP

I am doing a Middle Earth hack using the Q21 rules as a base. I am finding doing a deconstruction of the system lets me see some of its strengths and weaknesses. will likely post it when done.

So as I am going through and re working much of Skae' and one of the small things I have been on this week has been the Caretakers. They are the strange race who took care of the barren world before the coming of the First City. Since then they have guarded the ancient places, sometimes helping and sometimes battling the new comers. Their full story is still a mystery but here is what is commonly known: Caretakers are tall and grey skinned humanoids. They have long faces, no mouth but a long proboscis. They communicate through light glands along their neck and hand motions. They may also be telepathic but this has not been confirmed. Caretakers have wings and can fly a short distance. They can move through water though it is not known if this is traditional swimming or something else. Caretakers do not wear clothes but they do wear armor of ancient design when expecting a fight. Caretakers have never been seen eating but they do cook or leave food for others. Caretakers use long spears for weapons. These are made from what is known as Deep Iron. Caretakers mostly stay in their sacred places, though they have been known to live near dragons and giants. Occasionally one will assume the role of a protector for a village of men. Caretakers know sorcery or at least counter spells. There are rumors of a ruined Caretaker city. No one living has seen it. So far that is all I have. Caretakers are NPCs of course but they make an interesting addition to the world.

So here is a version of the cover I am toying with. The art itself is set, but the title etc.. is not

This month I am finishing up the Salt Mine Blues revision and the Q21 system revisions. Really that will be my month, except launching the website for the company. My own domain and everything! lol ~SMH

So I have made some decisions and wanted to share them out. All good things. Kaerune' is now Skae (pr. sky-a). Skaemyr was too close to Skyrim and Skaerune' too close to RQ (IMO, no one said anything to me). I want Skae to stand on it's own as a fantastic game and world. I feel very good about this, better than any of the other names. There will be a new and updated version of Salt Mine Blues, I hope by the end of July. Sooner if possible. I am also keeping Sorcery for Skae, but Soul Magic and Weirding are changing and being combined into one. Still working out the details here. It will all be called Weird Magic. Additionally the smithing / crafting magic will become the third kind of available magic for characters. Have not landed on a proper name for it yet. There will be a master (and free) Quest21 Rulebook and SRD. The book will be out before the SRD. I have an artist working on the cover for Runed Worlds. It will be a bit retro and I am happy with how it is looking. Speaking of covers, here is the new one for Salt Mine Blues

Just want to check... Sorala's SR with her medium shield is 6 and her SR with her broadsword is 5, but for the others using that combo, the SRs are the same. IS that right and if so, what is the SR of a broadsword and medium shield. Just trying to make sure the math is right.

I admit I am torn between "Yeah, another character" and "crap, another mini to paint."

And so it begins... going to TRY and paint these to represent the 5 adventurers. Then the bad guy and maybe the Stone Woman as well if I have time. Not sure where I am getting Rock lizards atm or a bison, but a trip to Hobbytown might be in my future.

Yeah I think so

So question on pages 31-32 the Rock Lizard encounter. It states make an INT check to determine if the characters know they are Rock Lizards. Fair enough, but why does not one of these farmers/herders have Animal Lore? The adventure looks enjoyable, this will work with some of the crowds I will be running through this.

Mine ended up in my Gmail Promotions filter? Which happens from time to time... )gets coffee and begins to read)

I am all set and ready for a full day. I hope the turn out is good.

7. Where is the conflict? The basic conflicts are layered. There is every day survival, making money and staying alive in space. Even with all the tech, space is still a dangerous place. Below that is getting involved in some level, either in criminal or questionable enterprises and/or trying to keep some kind of peace in the various free zones. Down further you have the attempts by the various homeworlds to assert their control over members of their species (and other species) to halt the diaspora. For that matter perhaps halting the diaspora is where you want your play to go. The finally at the bottom are the dangers of Liminal Space, the odd alien creatures that live there and derive sustenance from corporeal life. Running a Lminal Space horror game is definitely possible. 8. What does humanity look like? The human race has evolved along three lines. The main line or Terran, is much like us today. The Posthuman is a genetically malleable and androgynous figure. The Transhuman has melded with technology even from conception. Other races have gone through similar drifts in their societies and species.

First, philosophically. A weapon is indeed less effective in the hands of a person who has no raining with it. So a discussion of skill vs. damage output is certainly a Valid question to ponder. Negative damage seems a futile mathematical exercise in my mind, because why have a weapon damage die at all if the STR of the user really is governing the damage out put of the weapon. Well, STR and SIZ, depending on the system. I love crunchy, but that seems a little too crunchy. Secondly, is practical. matter. My little girl is three and a half. She is strong for her age, but not what we might consider adult strong. In her hands a plastic light sabre isn't merely a little stingy, it is downright brutal. She has rung my bell on a few occasions lol. So here is this little person who can really hurt someone if she does not watch out. But I do see your POV. There is a dilemma as to where you put the "line", where you start the progression of dice, and how quickly it progresses. Also, how strong are mega strength creatures like giants or dragons? One radical idea I have been mulling over is giving weapons damage modifiers, like 1, 2, 3, etc.. and have the variable die be strictly based on the STR+SIZ equation. So a weak character may only do a d2, and the weapon would add a +1 or +4 etc..

There are "runes" of a sort, yes. And they show up in a couple of different ways with regards to the planet itself and its inhabitants. The worlds are part of the zone of Liminal Space and it is theorized the two are connected. Exactly how is not known. Super fast FTL (1LY crossed per days) is tied to liminal space. The older and cruder Fission-Camdus and Fusion-Camdus drives are not tied to Liminal space (1LY every 3 to 6 days). Tied into this is the potential "threat" of Liminal space and those that use it as weapons, so if the light of Lminial space ever winks out, society would suffer even more isolation as space travel would become 3 to 6 times slower. So having a Lminal drive is a huge advantage. And I do want it to be a sandbox, with interesting pieces all over the place. But a sandbox with a very interesting set of rules and physical laws.

That is pretty cool, to see your name on a game book.

One idea I have had is creating Sector Books. Each sector has 3-5 systems, with each system having one adventure in it or maybe 2 smaller adventures per system. Plus plenty of adventure hooks. And with 1000 cubic LY I should never run out of sectors.

5. What is Runed Worlds all about? What do the players do? Well players can as always do anything they want, of course. However, there are a few themes that Runed Worlds will enable as strong play. The human and to a lesser degree alien disapora, which has a feeling of cynical and fatalistic hope. When a people leave their home world space, the esoteric and metaphysical aspects of it, call to them. The call of space is strong and it breaks down the bonds of a people, to their home and to one another. There is naturally push back with this that creates conflict with the various "homeworld" cultures. There is the exploration aspect of course, with liminal space full of worlds that cry out to be discovered or rediscovered. Certainly the society of liminal space is close to anarchy and there are those who thrive on it and those who try to bring order to it. Finally there is the mystery of liminal space itself and the possibly ancient people who may have had a hand in creating it. While RW is space fantasy / opera, we will try and have good Hard SF underpinnings, but you will never be able to escape the weird. Runed Worlds is definitely not a generic tool kit for ANY space adventure you want, but it will contain a ton of content. And adventures. 6. Will Space Travel be a big part of Runed Worlds? As much as GM and players want, of course. However, in the tradition of many d100 games space ships, battles, FTL, and the like will all be a part of Runed Worlds. A variety of FTL options will be available.

Only some of them are dead. I will edit that, thanks! And yes, as far as anyone knows all known Runed Worlds are in Liminal Space.

The Intro scenario is called Vega, Two Stars and will be out later this summer (after the Skaemyr / Salt Mine Blues revision is done later this month). And I have not decided on a model for Runed Worlds though I am thinking about this weekend, wit regard to scenarios. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Is it? I had no idea.

Yes very much. I am aiming for psychedelic and real New Wave. I have noted players complaining about too many bipedal races in SF rpgs. So I am going away from that.

3. What is a Runed World? Runed Worlds are planets where life has evolved, might evolve, or had evolved at some point. Some of the worlds are dead now with a few having mysterious fates. No one is sure whether the worlds had been seeded or simply marked by some great power because life had already evolved there. There are rumors that weapons exist that can take the life and bio energy of such a living world and turn it into an enormous well of energy. Scientists have not yet discovered the connection between Runed Worlds and Liminal space, if one exists. 4. Are there alien species? As playable characters? The goal is to make as many of the aliens in Runed Worlds as playable races. Maybe not all at once, but in follow on setting books, get them all in there. In a setting like this it will be important to even have non humans that are not humans with foreheads. There will be other bipedal species, but there will be a large amount of slugs, lizards, and even energy beings that will be playable. Also, droids of course. This is weird space and life is abundant.

Since we have not seen the rules yet, can we ask about the use of miniatures? I know what I have done in the past, but is there an official rule or sidebar (1 sqaure or hex =1m etc..) A lot of the new players will likely come from that background so minis will make it more familiar to them. I will use minis regardless, just wanted to get a heads up on the official (if there is one)( rule. Thanks!

Not to get us wildly off topic, but we had a panel at JordanCon this year discussing the Wheel of Time as a post apocalyptic setting. It is about adjusting your mind set and pov to see how that can affect the motivations of those who live there, their myths, and the potential of stuff just lying around. So this is an interesting thought for me.