seneschal

What strikes me upon listening to the first four chapters for the first time is that Drew, at age 18 in 1930, is a competent, confident, and potentially dangerous adult even if she does still live with her Dad. She does stuff and goes places I wouldn't dare allow my 20-year-old daughter anywhere near in 2020. It was truly a different era. Meanwhile, Frank and Joe Hardy -- however athletic and clever they are -- are still very much school kids, focused on homework, friends, and hobbies. Nancy Drew, only two or three years older, has already moved on.

I've previously discussed drawing CoC adventure inspiration from the Hardy Boys since the classic mystery series launched in 1927 and the pre-1959 editions give a good feel for the era. However, Nancy Drew (1930) may be an even better fit. She's 18, out of school, has a fast car, enjoys a high Credit Rating, can call on her well-connected lawyer father for introductions and legal advice, is nosier than Pinocchio (regardless of what the Narrator says about her tact and good manners), and sometimes packs a rod. She looks like a debutant but thinks like Batman (who won't appear for another nine years). She doesn't have Bruce Wayne's dough but also doesn't have a job to tie her down -- lots of free time and freedom of movement. Who better to become a shoggoth-stomping sister?

You're right. Other than occasional forays by scrawny, red-headed Lex Luthor (green robes preferred) and the original Metallo (a guy in powered armor rather than today's Kryptonite-fueled cyborg), most of Superman's foes well into the 1950s were garden-variety gangsters, politicians and unfeeling corporate types with the odd generic mad scientist tossed in. Superman's radio adventures also included terrorists such as The Wolf and the Scarlet Window, masterminds such as the Yellow Mask, and German holdouts such as Der Teufel and the Atom Man. With the exception of Metallo and Atom Man, none of his enemies could go toe-to-toe with him. He spent most of the time figuring out their schemes as Clark Kent, then swooped in at the last minute to stop them.

A threat otherwise known as the PCs. 😱

Wish I could. Too many of them are from sources that aren't yet public domain. Plus, you've already got 'em here for free, a gift to the BRP community. I greatly appreciate the contributions of my fellow monster fans.

Superman's 1938 toughness was described as "nothing short of a bursting shell could pierce his skin." So he'd survive an artillery hit but it would still mess up his day. Full stats here: Superman 1938 Quote: (While putting his street clothes over his uniform at a crime scene after calling the police) “If those policemen decide to search me it’ll be just too bad!” The Man of Tomorrow! The Action Ace! Not yet the “Man of Steel,” Superman at his debut was able to lift tremendous weights (the comics showed him holding up a heavy Depression-era sedan using both hands); able to vault tall buildings and leap one-eighth of a mile; fast enough to outrun a speeding streamline train (beating bullets would come a little bit later); nothing less than a bursting shell could pierce his skin. Superman didn't yet have super senses, but his leaping ability and powerful grip enabled him to pull a human fly act and eavesdrop outside skyscraper windows. He was also smarter than the average human but preferred intimidation to Sherlock Holmes style deduction to get information. (But super brain plus super speed enabled him to scoop rival reporter Lois Lane in his guise of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent). So how do his powers break down into real-life and BRP terms? To toss around an all-steel automobile, Superman would need to be able to lift five or six tons. A leap of one-eighth of a mile would be a running jump of 660 feet or 201 meters. With a vertical leap of almost 100 meters, Superman wouldn’t be able to hurdle Manhattan’s four tallest buildings (Empire State Building, 381 meters; Chrysler Building, 319 meters; Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, 283 meters; Woolworth Building, 241 meters) but there are plenty of lesser towers he could hop. Although train speed performance has improved with technology, records for unmodified diesel and electric trains from the 1930s top out at 215 km per hour, or 134 mph. Most rail vehicles, even fast ones, were at least 15 to 25 mph slower. STR 60 CON 30 SIZ 15 INT 21 POW 13 DEX 16 APP 11 Move: 10 Hit Points: 23 (45 CON+SIZ) Damage Bonus: +5D6 Armor: 25 (kinetic), 5 (heat) Attacks: Brawl 75%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 75%, 1D3+DB Skills: Climb 80%, Dodge 82%, Fast Talk 65%, Hide 60%, Insight 65%, Jump 75%, Knowledge (Journalism) 55%, Language (English) 105%, Listen 75%, Persuade 65%, Research 75%, Spot 75%, Stealth 60%, Swim 75%, Throw 75% Powers: Tough Skin – Armor, 25 (kinetic), 5 (heat), (30) Leap, 99 levels, +198 meters horizontal leap (99) Super Characteristic – +42 STR, +15 CON, +4 INT (69) Faster Than A Streamline Train – Super Speed, 21 levels, can run 220 meters per combat round, is minus 210% to be hit by a single attack, 21 power points per round when running at full speed (420) Extra Energy, +140 power points (14) Failings: Protective of Lois Lane (+3), Responsible to the Daily Planet (+3), Has the hots for Lois (+2), “I Started A Pop-Cultural Phenomenon” Bonus (+519) Notes: Superman had 500 skill points plus 210 personal skill points based on INT, total 710. His stats were randomly rolled at the “Out of This World” level using the online Call of Cthulhu creature generator. He had 105 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 8 more for Failings, total 113. Given his energy limitations, Superman can run at full speed for 7 combat rounds. In action, he’ll catch up to a runaway train in great hops, then use his super speed at the last minute to actually grab it. Superman’s skin is as armored as a modern tank but a direct hit by a 10D6 artillery shell is still going to really mess up his day. Perhaps his defenses should be higher, but he’d need 60 AP (kinetic) to shrug off the effects of a shell. It was his movement abilities that put Superman far over the usual build point budget for a player-character superhero. Flight with enough levels to haul around, say, a standalone safe would actually be less expensive. Even with characteristics of all 18, a PC would have only 126 power points to work with, and he’d be able to gain only 63 more with a ridiculous number of Failings. Superman’s one-eight of a mile jumps alone would use up most of that, and Leap doesn’t require energy to use. In play, especially if using miniatures, a single jump would essentially remove him from the game. Being able to chase down a train was even more expensive to model, and Super Speed at those levels uses tons of energy – which is why Golden Age Superman doesn’t zip around like the Flash all the time. Edited March 14, 2014 by seneschal

Tabanga Source: From Hell It Came (1957) According to the movie's mythology, the Tabanga is a South Seas spirit of vengeance: an 8-foot, 500-pound humanoid tree sprouted from the grave of a murdered person but rooted to the spot unless torn free by storms or cut free by a shaman attempting to control the demon. Tough as the mobile stump it resembles, the Tabanga relentlessly stalks the people responsible for its murder but is perfectly willing to slaughter anyone else who crosses its path. Slow but stealthy, it is infinitely patient, waiting in perfect silence and stillness along a path or among an often frequented grove for its prey. Because it never speaks and can't be reasoned with, it is hard to determine exactly how intelligent the monster really is. The Tabanga is apparently impervious to spears, arrows and bullets and seemingly resistant to fire. It is vulnerable to certain ceremonial daggers, however. It bleeds green sap if injured. STR 40 CON 16 SIZ 25 INT 9 POW 14 DEX 8 Move: 5 Hit Points: 21 Damage Bonus: +3d6 Armor: 20 kinetic, 4 heat Attacks: Brawl 40%, 1d4+3d6 Skills: Hide 80%, Sense 70%, Stealth 75%, Track 55% Failings: Armor doesn't work vs. ceremonial dagger, 2x damage from ceremonial dagger

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_Fox http://humongous.com/games/spy-fox-in-dry-cereal/ Nobody fuzz it better.

It could easily become both if we don't keep our wits about us. Is IS a panic, fed by the media for their own purposes. They sneered at the U.S. President's attempts to limit the diseases' spread two months ago and now are blaming him for not doing enough to combat it. The truth is that no amount of planning by any government, here or overseas, is proof against a new, fast-spreading organism whose traits and symptoms are not yet known. The early tests offered by the World Health Organization proved to be ineffective. And our annual vaccines against the regular well-known flu have checkered results. How were we supposed to whip up effective tests and vaccines on the fly against a stealthy, no symptoms until it is too late, virus that most folks had never heard of until a couple weeks ago? We went in a matter of days from "it isn't as bad as the common cold" to "lock yourselves in your houses and don't come out until we tell you to." My family had to run errands today to get medicine and pet supplies. The streets were quiet at 2 or 3 pm but got busier as the afternoon wore on and we traveled from the city to a nearby small town. The drug and farm supply stores had several customers besides ourselves but the Walmart parking lots we passed were packed. Sit down restaurants had sparse trade but those with drive-through windows had a reasonable amount of lunchtime business. The animal shelter had a full lot -- mostly employee vehicles. Didn't see any face masks. Lessons Learned: Avoid Walmart. Go to the tractor store instead. They've got multi-species probiotics to keep you healthy, and cedar chips smell better than Charmin anyway. Plus, ducklings! The bored Walgreens pharmacy window girl knows less about medicine than you. For once, McDonalds drive-through is your friend. And they're actually happy to see you now. SMILE at the cat-loving ladies at the City animal shelter. They're all packing. Tubi has lots of free movies and TV shows you'll love to watch, since you're stuck at home. Unless your wife seizes the remote first.

No conspiracy theory. That would require human intention and planning, and a global plague is outside mankind's control. However, our response to that disease is critical. There are always those who attempt to take advantage of societal chaos. Like the guy who attempted to corner the hand sanitizer market. Or some politicians attempting to use emergency spending bills to push through their partisan funding priorities. We must not allow fear to cloud our judgement. We must be alert to unscrupulous behavior, from telephone scammers as well as from our leaders. And we must be willing to accept risk to not only protect our God-given freedoms but to go about our daily lives. Even before coronavirus you could catch something by shaking someone's hand, riding the bus, or using public toilet facilities. So, certainly wash your hands, cover your mouth with an elbow when you cough or sneeze, stay out of people's faces, and don't hoard toilet paper (since the virus doesn't cause the runs anyway). Most of all, don't live in fear. And don't let yourself be buffaloed by constant scare stories on the news. Turn off the TV or radio for a bit and play Uno with your kids while you have the chance. We'll all have to trudge back to our 10-hour shifts soon enough.

Long before the corona scare my campaigns suffered from the dreaded lack of interested players virus, certainly a joy killer if not biologically dangerous. However, since the latest ban in the U.S. limits meetings to 10 people (and most gaming groups are 3-5) you can still play on Friday afternoon (because your workplace is closed anyway) and attend synagogue on Saturday (10 Orthodox believers). Whether you can eat pizza during the game depends on how observant you are (drive-through orders only). It works out. The disease is a genuine concern but the fear and restrictions it has generated are an equal and perhaps greater concern. We're fighting over toilet paper while government on all levels commands us to hide in our homes? And we meekly obey without question? Every Walmart is a mob scene but we can't meet to worship or vote? What's wrong with this picture? I don't want one more person to get sick or die but we've essentially consented to tearing up the Bill of Rights while chasing the illusion of safety.

Kahn Noonian Singh is a player-character. Of course he wants to seize the Reliant and go joyriding! 😉

Franchise matters when it comes to gear and how it works. In the Foundation universe there is no need to roll for damage when you fire your atomic ray pistol. If you hit, your target is dead. Period. No near misses, glancing blows, or stun setting. Unless the target is wearing a personal force shield, in which case he takes no damage at all. Period.

To be fair, whether you need technology rules depends on what PCs are expected to do in a given scenario or campaign. In a space marine scenario, if the adventurers are intended to hunt or be hunted by aliens but aren't expected to repair the space hulk they're exploring and fly it off somewhere, they don't need starship rules. The joint is basically a dungeon in space. Likewise, both Asimov's Foundation series and Bujold's Vorkosigan saga have vast space navies that engage in fleet battles -- but since all that goes on in the background and the protagonists aren't in command, it doesn't affect the skills and equipment the heroes need.

But has anyone bothered to listen to the referenced stories?

BRP: Exploitation Edition! 😳 Oh, you said "well-explored." Darn! 😔

BRP is good at human-scale characters whose knowledge and life experiences matter more than their physical prowess. Combat is lethal and gritty, not to be entered into lightly. There are optional rules for assorted super powers and psychic abilities, good for creating mutants and aliens. These can also fill in, maybe, for cybernetic implants. If Alien, Outland, Scanners and such are your idea of sci-fi, you are in good shape. Sorta. Where the system falls down for science fiction is its lack of real support for gadgets, gear and vehicles. This is where its Bronze Age RuneQuest roots really show. Sure, there is a section on using skills as technology, but it is vague and loosey-goosey and assorted genre supplements haven't really filled the gap. There are a few sample ray guns but if you want jet packs, starships, James Bond super spy gadgets, or cool hover bikes with the latest multi-media setup (WHY are you watching/listening to that when I'm having to share the road with you?), then you will have to wing it. Also, BRP isn't very cinematic (see Hit Points discussion). If your idea of science fiction is John Carter of Mars, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Star Wars or any other franchise where characters are larger than life you may find your PCs too fragile to pull off the heroic stunts of their inspirations. They don't enjoy the same plot immunity. And I say that as a guy who has posted loads of write-ups for superheroes, movie monsters, and pulp heroes. Can you compensate with double HP. Luck rolls, etc.? Sure, but it isn't BRP's default mode.

Depending on genre you could garb your PCs in Kevlar and Spandex, giving them a bit of extra protection as well as extra hit points. "Why, all my dainty underthings are made of Kevlar." -- The Badger, Capital Comics, circa 1989

Dunno. I'm an old fart and R.L. Stine is almost too much for me. I can handle Poe, Lovecraft and M.R. James because their language is so archaic I don't know what they're talking about half the time. 😉

IT ... that's the one where things went horribly wrong at a call center?

Why is that so "Wow"? There are thousands of authors pumping out reams of bestsellers. Their efforts pack giant chain bookstores to the gills and their offscourings fill discount store shelves for decades after their names are forgotten. You can't read or even sample them all. I've sampled enough Stephen King to recognize that he has talent and to realize thar his works are not to my taste. Ditto Brian Lumley. Never touched Clive Barker. Doubtless there are dozens of New York Times bestselling genre authors I've never even heard of. Cut the 'strok9 a break. Everybody has to discover a particular author for the first time.

Today we usually associate the name "Harley Quin" with a relatively recent female Batman villain. But in Agatha Christie's 1930 stories, Quin is a mysterious, possibly supernatural, male righter of wrongs. While on the side of the angels, Quin strikes me as somewhat creepy -- a sinister fairy godfather with a nose for murder. Sounds like adventure fodder to me, since he prods the protagonist of the tales into taking action to prevent or redress crimes.

But if you've got Stalin and his cronies running around loose, who needs the Mythos? Six parts so far. Fascinating and terrifying.Thank God daily that you don't live in Stalin's Russia.

Sadly, no. It is stuffed in my BRP notes somewhere, awaiting a chance to pulp out. On the other hand, you can insert the outline into any game, any genre, any system

Weren't there Ukrainian content farmers that could supply you with dossiers of material ?