seneschal

Actually, the last two poll options were intended as a jest. Elric!-derived Magic World is, as you've noted, almost as venerable as RQ. And a Call of Cthulhu campaign set in Glorantha would be painfully short -- since literally everyone in that world is technically a cultist of one stripe or another. Incidentally, my local used bookstore has had several copies of Mongoose's Glornatha Second Age sourcebook floating around (at the original $20-something price ). Skimming it left me a tad confused. It contains character options, race and magic information, critter stats, but somehow seems more like a pile of game mechanics -- like one of those old Palladium supplements -- than a setting to me. Maybe I didn't get to the fluff part, which is what makes a setting for me. Lists of spells, for instance, make more sense when you've learned something of the religion that backs them. My quick read left me less inclined to buy than more inclined.

Just idle curiosity: RuneQuest and Glorantha have their own subsections on these threads (for property ownership reasons). How many people put their RQ game in its traditional setting? How many people use Glorantha with some other system? How many people set their RQ campaign in another setting, either pre-packaged or of their own devising?

Dunno. Many Internet trolls I've encountered grow nastier and more abusive no matter how reasonable, humble, and polite their victims are.

I clicked on the link. The current Bundle of Holding is for Delta Green product.

I love the concept. Darkwing Duck, Die Fledermaus (from The Tick), and Inspector Clouseau (Pink Panther) are in real trouble!

But it's the Red Skull talking. Are you sure you can believe him? Comics continuity aside, I think it was yet another writer's ploy to bring the character back from "death." As previously mentioned, the Joker was "killed" two or three times during Batman's second year of publication, starting with the villain's second appearance. The Red Skull (or at least the George Maxon version) "died" from an accidental injection of his own poison at the end of his first outing, and his unmasked body is clearly shown being examined (and presumably being prepared to be hauled off to the morgue) by G-men. In his second appearance, however, he is shown shaking off the effects of the drug on the floor of the (now apparently deserted) crime scene and is still wearing his Red Skull mask. We never see his real face again. "Left me for dead did they? Didn't the fools realize I could survive my own medicine? Ho! Ho! This time the Red Skull will show no mercy!" I think the Skull's dual origin was an unexploited opportunity for Captain America and Bucky: "Why do you obey this traitor, you idiots? He's not even a son of the Fatherland but an American spy, captured on his first mission and sent back out as a double agent. Johann Schmidt doesn't exist. Prove whether or not I'm lying. Have him take off his mask!" No matter which Skull we're dealing with, he's suddenly in trouble with his henchmen and any German military personnel that happen to be nearby.

Yeah, somebody didn't read their Bullfinch's Mythology closely enough. Originally Hurricane had little wings on his headband similar to the ones Captain America had on his cowl. But they disappeared without explanation by Issue 4. I also find it interesting that, contrary to the recent Captain America movie (which I liked), the Red Skull originally was an American traitor, a wealthy industrialist hoping to get a plum job once the Reich was established in the U.S. The titular skull was a mask, and the villain mailed little red Day of the Dead skulls to folks he planned to assassinate. He wore a brownish jumpsuit with a white swastika on its front and was just as crazy and ruthless as the movie version.

As previously mentioned, I've been reading some 1940s comics lately. I find it interesting that both Bruce "Batman" Wayne and Steve "Captain America" Rogers have kid sidekicks who can beat up 2-4 adults all by themselves (unless the plot demands otherwise). Both smoke pipes for relaxation during their downtime -- in front of their young charges with no concern for the perils of second-hand smoke (as if battling crazy adult criminals isn't dangerous enough!). Both fight gangsters, saboteurs, and weird robed guys dressed like Gothic monsters. Both occasionally leave their sidekicks at home only to have the kid come to their rescue. A good stiff uppercut beats anything -- bullets, monsters, giant war machines. There are many differences, of course. Batman occasionally gets shot (carrying that shield is a good idea, Cap). Captain America is a lowly private in his civilian identity, constantly in trouble with his sergeant for not completing his Army base chores because he was AWOL, off saving the world somewhere. Batman contents himself with selling war bonds at home and catching the occasional spy. Captain America managed to sneak into occupied Europe and beat up Adolf Hitler himself (after, with Bucky's help, defeating the entire German army!). Batman has a small fleet of personal vehicles and gadgets. Cap relies solely on his shield and has to catch a ride with the military or hire a cab to get around. Also fun are the side features printed with Captain America: Tuk the Cave Boy, attempting to reach the (still above water) Atlantean empire with the aid of faithful adult companions. Sort of Dino Boy meets Tarzan, with Tuk secretly being a royal heir. And Hurricane, son of Thor, last of the Greek (?) gods -- an underdressed speedster who can cause storms and hurl lightning bolts. No consistent civilian identity, but he always calls himself Mike or Michael Something. He can temporarily loan his super speed powers to other people and things by giving them magic silver wings. Oh, and his consistent foe is his cousin, Satan. Yeah, red suit, horns, etc. Satan's schemes usually involved killing a whole lot of people. Hurricane stopped his current plot, often slaying all the bad guys in the process -- which sorta helped old horn head along anyway if you think about it. The Flash beat Hurricane into print by one month and had the better (or at least more modest) costume.

In my area, it is the public libraries that are hosting the event. No merchandise for sale, but a chance to introduce role-playing to new fans.

So ... would sorcery, sufficiently advanced, be indistinguishable from technology? [Runs, ducks for cover]

http://www.tabletopday.com/ FYI. Good excuse to put on a demo game at your local library or other participating spot.

"Gravity is a harsh mistress." The Tick

In my kids' composition and literature class they've had to read both Around the World in 80 Days and The Hobbit. Their current assignment to write an essay comparing and contrasting Phileas Fogg with Bilbo Baggins. That got me thinking. What if you mixed the two up a bit? You have: Phileas Fogg -- taciturn, calculating, single-minded, utterly unflappable, armed with a small, portable fortune as a travel aid, addicted to whist ; "The unforeseen does not exist." Bilbo Baggins -- half-hearted adventurer, excitable, totally unprepared, addicted to gourmet meals, improvises solutions to problems on the fly and depends perhaps too much upon luck (something Fogg would insist also doesn't exist). And their sidekicks: Gandalf the wandering wizard -- knows more than he lets on, knows less than he lets on, has magic powers Jean Passepartout -- French domestic of many talents: athlete, actor, acrobat, very adaptable So ... what if we switched sidekicks? What if we switched quests? How would Baggins handle a squad of Hindu priests determined to burn a beautiful young lady alive? How would Fogg handle a trio of hungry trolls? Could Bilbo deal with rapid transit and train schedules? Fogg would undoubtedly make it to the Lonely Mountain in record time, but what then? Could Baggins prove his innocence to the charge of bank robbery? Could Fogg, the card shark, bluff or outbid Smaug? What do you think? What scenes or confrontations would you like to see?

Hmmm, no character sheets yet, but ... http://www.wildcardsonline.com/origins.html http://www.mutantsandmasterminds.com/super-vision/000579.php http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/06/2-from-game-to-book-or-the-birth-of-a-shared-world Um, so if it was inspired by a Superworld campaign, why did GURPS and then Mutants and Masterminds get dibs when it came time to cycle Wild Cards back into RPG territory? (Yes, I know. It's a rhetorical question.) Grrr ... after additional searching, no Superworld write-ups for said Bicycle deck. R.R. Martin and Co.'s Superworld character sheets are probably lost to history.

I didn't yet have it but downloaded it. Good mini-scenario. Reminds me a bit of Horror Express. So ... Mr. Jealousy ... when do we get to thrill to your all-railing, all-dancing, pulse-pounding train campaign?

A fun site! I'm glad it is still around.

Thanks!

I feel your pain. I've collected many more rules sets and settings than I've ever gotten to play. Since I'm a pack rat and have never thinned my RPG collection, I could play for years with the stuff I've already got on my shelves, old school, new school or outta school.

Inspirations: Murder on the Orient Express (1974) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTVJuZIC0GY The Lady Vanishes (1932) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1J0pUURCj8 Horror Express (1972) Ghost Train (1941) The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) -- and/or From Russia with Love (1963) Strangers on a Train (1951) 3:10 to Yuma (1957) Couldn't find the last two on Youtube. Only the last listing, 3:10 to Yuma, is a Western (see the 1957 original, not the remake). But all of these demonstrate that moving trains are adventurous places. The train is speeding relentlessly toward destiny. The passengers can't (or can't easily) get off; they are isolated, trapped. Despite the cramped living quarters, the long string of cars provides plenty of hiding places for bad guys, stolen items, and scary things that can lurk in dark baggage cars or in closets seemingly too small to hold them. The passengers aren't in control, but since the train's route is public knowledge it can be affected by outside forces, such as bandits, hijackers, or track blockers. And since trains are made to haul lots of passengers, the player-characters won't know many -- or any -- of the NPCs surrounding them. Whom can they trust? Are their fellow travelers really who they appear to be? Are the train officials really dedicated to safeguarding their charges and getting them to their destination? Or have they been replaced by criminals or monsters with their own agenda? Note that the situations in my inspirations aren't necessarily tied to a time period or specific setting. Whether the adventurers are drawn by a steam locomotive or gliding along on the latest mag-lev, danger awaits!

Caesar Romero? Jack Nicholson? Mark Hamill? Heath Ledger? No, no, no! It's Basil Rathbone. The Joker 1940 Source: The Batman Chronicles, Volume One, DC Publications, 2005; The Batman Chronicles, Volume Two, DC Publications, 2006 Quote: (As he shoots a rival) “I won’t even waste the usual Joker venom on you, Brute, but give you something you can understand! Lead!” Batman’s archenemy The Joker has been through many incarnations since he first appeared a quarter century ago, going from grim to silly to humorous and terrifying at the same time. His iconic look has meanwhile stayed pretty much the same: a tall, thin, pale-faced man with green hair and a purple suit, overcoat, and broad-brimmed hat. He was supposedly inspired by Conrad Veidt’s portrayal of Gwynplaine in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs, but the actor The Joker really resembled in his initial outing was Basil “Sherlock Holmes” Rathbone, particularly in profile. There was nothing funny about The Joker during his early confrontations with the Dynamic Duo. This was no giggling prankster thief armed with magic shop gimmicks. The Joker was a cunning jewel thief, extortioner, assassin and master of disguise whose weapon of choice was a slow-acting poison – delivered by gas gun or by dart – that caused the faces of victims to contort into ghastly, exaggerated grins. The “joke” was that he had quietly committed his crimes in advance before announcing them by breaking in on radio broadcasts. Wealthy men surrounded by vigilant policemen died anyway because they had been poisoned before they ever knew they were in danger. The fact that The Joker was usually grim and brooding made his broad smile all the more chilling. Another thing that made him scary was that – despite being labeled a madman by Batman – The Joker was perfectly sane. He had no origin story, no excuses, was just supremely evil. When captured he was hauled off to prison rather than the insane asylum. He was a crack shot and a dangerous hand-to-hand combatant who worked strictly alone. Freed from prison by gangsters who hoped he would lead them to success, The Joker expressed his gratitude by immobilizing his rescuers with paralytic gas (he didn’t always kill). He later, in one of his aliases, assembled a gang to perform a robbery then showed up at the scene as himself to steal the swag from his own henchmen. The Harlequin of Hate also seemed to have a charmed life, surviving being stabbed in the heart, immolated in a burning castle, and knocked over a ship’s rail into the sea while in mid-ocean. The Joker’s grisly “deaths” were usually the result of his own actions, failed attempts to harm Batman. His lust for gems also inevitably brought him into conflict with the Cat, a female burglar and thief with similar tastes who hadn’t yet begun wearing feline-themed masks and costumes. Although he was a fierce fighter, the Joker preferred to avoid confrontation with his victims by incapacitating or killing them first. He’d then scoop up the loot without opposition and flee. The Joker often examined his potential victims and their premises in advance by employing one of his many disguises. He also used disguises to get close to his targets and to prepare the crime scene in advance. First and foremost a poisoner, he delivered his trademark venom by a variety of means: darts, coated playing cards, gas capsules, gas guns, rigged telephone receivers, and chemically treated phonograph records. But he didn’t feel the need to slay everyone in his path; the Joker was sadistic but his crimes were about the jewels, not the thrill of killing for its own sake. In addition to his gas and dart guns, the Joker carried a pair of regular automatic pistols and a knife as backup weapons. He sometimes also had a chemical explosive hidden on his person to aid in his escapes. He didn’t carry a sword, but given the opportunity (such as at the aforementioned burning castle) he could fence like, well, Basil Rathbone. The Joker’s chief weakness was his need to be recognized for his cleverness. With his disguise and burglary skills, he could have quietly stolen the jewels he desired and their disappearance would have remained a mystery. Instead, he felt compelled to announce his crimes by breaking into radio broadcasts, to take credit by leaving behind a joker playing card, to challenge the authorities with taunting messages. Joker trivia: Batman, who had been shot by crooks several times during his early adventures, had begun wearing a bulletproof vest beneath his costume by the time of his second battle with the Joker. Good thing, too, because the Harlequin of Hate peppered the Caped Crusader with large caliber fire. The Joker developed his distinctive laugh during his fourth confrontation with Batman. His mocking guffaws were recorded on the record he used to poison the district attorney who had sent him to prison. He also cackled while pawing the gems he’d stolen from his own minions. Batman didn’t receive an origin story until a year after his adventures had been in publication. The Joker had to wait 48 years for one, in the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, but even that version never became official. STR 15 CON 14 SIZ 16 INT 18 POW 17 DEX 13 APP 11 Move: 10 Hit Points: 15 (30 CON+SIZ) Damage Bonus: +1D4 Armor: None Attacks: Brawl 62%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 62%, 1D3+DB; Pistol 67%, 1D10+2; Dart Gun 53%, 1D6 plus poison; Gas Guns 53%, 6D6; Knife 52%, 1D3+1+DB; Sword 42%, 1D8+DB Skills: Appraise 42%, Bargain 32%, Climb 40%, Disguise 60%, Dodge 53%, Drive 47%, Fast Talk 32%, Fine Manipulation 52%, Hide 37%, Jump 52%, Martial Arts (Boxing) 28%, Martial Arts (Fencing) 28%, Martial Arts (Jiu Jitsu) 28%, Parry 42%, Perform (Acting) 52%, Perform (Mimicry) 52%, Projection 53%, Science (Chemistry) 48%, Science (Toxicology) 48%, Stealth 37% Powers: Poison Darts – Energy Projection, one level (kinetic), 1D6, limit 6 uses per day, costs 1 power point per use (6) Gas Gun – Gas Projection, 8 levels, 6D6 vs. target’s CON, four-meter radius, limit 6 uses per day, costs 18 power points per use (20) Regeneration, 5 levels, heal 5 points of damage at the end of each combat round, costs 1 power point per hit point healed (15) Super Skill – 6 levels, +20% each to Disguise, Fine Manipulation, Acting, Mimicry, Chemistry, Toxicology (12) Unarmed Combat – 2 levels, +4 to Brawl and Grapple damage; +4 Armor to unarmed parry; -10% vs. single attack per combat round; +10% to Brawl or Grapple skill (40) Extra Energy – +160 power points (16) Failings: Hunted by Police (+2), Show-Off (+2) Notes: The Joker had 105 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 4 for Failings, total 109. He had 500 skill points plus 180 personal skill points based on INT, total 680.

The manta's tail is a nasty weapon! But if they're intelligent, can they be talked to and negotiated with? Any chance of Star Trek style amity?

Plus, they probably need you to create multiple pregen characters each, this being Call of Cthulhu and all. Not quite as bad as Paranoia but ...

I loved the Giant Robo series, which I have on VHS. Or rather, I love the first few episodes; the ending was too bleak for me. Lots of high-flying action featuring surprisingly fragile superheroes. They could dish out loads of pyrotechnic mayhem but could be killed by bullet or sword just like anyone else. Definitely using BRP's damage system if not its power suite. No, I don't think combining martial arts action with giant robots is strange at all. Giant Robo did it. Power Rangers did it. Pacific Rim had robot pilots do martial arts maneuvers while driving their vehicles. After all, you can't keep your super robot in your back pocket. It's housed in a hangar miles away, undergoing extensive maintenance and refueling, and the player-characters still have to hold the bad guys at bay -- with or without their high-tech toys. Edit: I hadn't seen the clip you posted. My version ends with most of the heroes apparently dead, Giant Robo impounded, and the heroine in charge of protecting the young protagonist seemingly giving in to the Dark Side. I'll have to see if I can locate this.

The TV version of The Tick sort of addressed physics. Mr. Blue and Bulky cracked or broke every building he landed on as he raced across the rooftops in search of adventure. And when he plummeted off a building and tried to catch himself on a convenient flagpole, it snapped off in his hands like a toothpick. He ultimately landed feet-first in the pavement, sinking up to his chest, in front of a startled Arthur. "Don't worry, citizen. I'm a superhero. I'm built for this sort of thing."

For the moment, at least, Chronicles is still available from Chaosium as well. Both Chronicles of Future Earth and Swords of Cydoria are "science-fantasy." For those of you who've studied both, how do they compare? How are they similar, and how do they handle other things differently?