Swords of Cydoria

[Evilschemer]

Just an update for those who may have been holding out on picking up Swords of Cydoria - I finally got my check from Chaosium, all is right in the world!

Nick really came through for me.

So please go purchase a copy of Swords of Cydoria! If there's enough interest in this setting, I'll create future modules and adventures.

At some point I need to make a free intro adventure that uses nothing but the Quick-Start rules.

[Hexelis]

I got this when it came out and just this past weekend we made characters and started to play. I gotta say it was awesome. This setting has a lot of potential, I'd love to see some supplemental material. Can you put a pdf of a character sheet on here?

[Hexelis]

found the character sheets

[Evilschemer]

That's great to hear. There's also a city-based adventure on my blog (see Sig).

[pansophy]

ok, I'll go and buy the PDF now

[filbanto]

This is awesome news Christian. Happy to hear you finally got paid for your hard work. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with next!

[tzunder]

Good to hear. I have read the blurb on the Chaosium site. However I'd like to know a leetle more. Like which bits of BRP did you use or leave out, (maybe just the options checklist from the BGB as a guide) and which new stuff did you add (not always needed IMHO, but good to know) and what "feel" or "it's a bit like" you'd categorise it as. Of course a lovely review on here or rpg.net would help, but maybe someone here who bought it can do that?

[Evilschemer]

Hi Tzunder.

There is a free preview in the files section of this site, but I'll try to summarize the answers to your questions:

Characters are heroic with the heroic hit point option.

Used:

Psychic powers

Vehicle combat

Futuristic Technology

Races and Cultures and Professions

Abstract Wealth

Referenced (but not totally used):

Mutations

Super-powers

Not used: (but can easily fit)

Magic

Sorcery

Sanity

Fatigue

Alliances

Pendragon-style personality

Stat-based skills

New:

Ta'Oudh, A new power system for the setting that is based on the Sorcery rules

Gadget rules

Potion rules (references Mutations)

Rules for forgeries and bureacracy

Description of the Setting: Swords and Lasers, Monsters and Robots. It's Sword and Sorcery meets Steampunk. Flash Gordon + John Carter + Thundarr + Last Exile + Firefly + Star Wars.

For more obscure references, it's Storm (the old Belgian graphic novels) + Tales of the Ketty Jay + Tschai: Planet of Adventure + The Knights of Cydonia video by Muse.

It's set on Earth in the far future (25,000 years). Or is it set on an alternate Earth? Or is it set on a parallel Earth somewhere out in the Galaxy? I'm intentionally not very clear about that.

Twenty years ago, the City-States of Cydoria were just about at a tech level equivalent to that of 1900 or so, though still heavily in a sword-and-sorcery style culture. Then one of they city-states made contact with advanced aliens and made a deal to get futuristic weaponry. They used these weapons to conquer the other City-States. They have now formed an evil empire. I provide several campaigns in the book ranging from treasure-seeking adventurers to rebels against the Vrildarian Empire. Plus a ready-made intro adventure.

I have provided several articles about the setting in the downloads section of this site under Science Fiction and I have a blog (see sig below).

[tzunder]

Thanks Chris, I liked your Lightspeed work a lot and rate your style.

Problem is, noone in the UK seems to stock it and postage from Chaosium is notoriusly expensive.

Did they do a Print on Demand version?

Edited August 2, 2013 by tzunder

[Mankcam]

Well I just cashed in my Chaosium Points and downloaded this monograph earlier this morning.Wow, what a great setting, heaps of source material, lots of flavour. If anyone wants to do a BRP John Carter style game, this monograph is worth its weight in gold. I'm very impressed with the content so far. This really needs to be a fully-fledged setting line like Invictus I reckon. Top marks for this one!

[pulpcitizen]

Hi; just a quick question - with the powers systems used, are there any additional rules (in particular the psionics rules)? Thanks.

[Canis latrans popus]

Description of the Setting: Swords and Lasers, Monsters and Robots. It's Sword and Sorcery meets Steampunk. Flash Gordon + John Carter + Thundarr + Last Exile + Firefly + Star Wars.

For more obscure references, it's Storm (the old Belgian graphic novels) + Tales of the Ketty Jay + Tschai: Planet of Adventure + The Knights of Cydonia video by Muse.

Looks like I'm going have yet another RPG supplement to purchase. Curse you for referencing Thundarr. Curse you!

[Evilschemer]

Hi; just a quick question - with the powers systems used, are there any additional rules (in particular the psionics rules)? Thanks.

I have one page on how to use psionidcs in Cydoria as well as two new powers.

Psi-Magic

Psychic Powers

Psi-magic is a school of magic based on psychic abilities (BRP

pages 110-122). The Psi-Mages of Sakaan are best known of its

practioners. Psi-mages cloak their abilities under the shroud of

occultism and sorcery. In addition to their psychic powers, psimages

consort with forbidden Aya spirits.

Psychic Powers

The rules for eligibility and use of psychic abilities are unchanged

from the BRP rulebook with the following exceptions.

Divination

Range: Self

Duration: 1 hour per power point spent

Power Point Cost: 1 or more power points

The Divination power is utilized by psi-mages to make contact

with the ancient Aya spirits of the Sdara Vatra.

You spend the duration of the power in quiet meditation, usually

isolated though several psi-mages may undertake the same

power. During the meditation, you make telepathic contact with

an Aya.

FUMBLE: You have summoned an evil demonic Aya infected

with the Techno-Plague. The demonic Aya will immediately

attack everyone in the vicinity using its telekinesis or

by turning advanced technology against its owner.

FAILURE: You spend one hour in meditation but no Aya

appears. You lose one power point.

SUCCESS: You have summoned an Aya with a Teaching

skill of 100% (BRP page 82) and able to provide instruction

for the purposes of skill training (BRP page 184) in one skill

of your choice.

SPECIAL: You have summoned an Aya with a Teaching skill

of 120% (BRP page 82) and able to provide instruction for

the purposes of skill training (BRP page 184) in one skill of

your choice.

CRITICAL: You have summoned an Aya with a Teaching

skill of 200% (BRP page 82) and able to provide instruction

for the purposes of skill training (BRP page 184) in one skill

of your choice.

The Aya appears as an ethereal form, visible only to you or to

anyone telepathically linked to you. The Aya may take different

forms, altering its shape to suit your expectations and whims.

The Aya speaks directly to your mind, asking the nature of your

query. Each Aya is an expert on a specific subject. Some are masters

of chemistry or astronomy, others of ancient history or philosophy.

You need simply ask a question, and the Aya will tell you

all it knows about the subject.

Bind Aya

Range: Self

Duration: Permanent

Power Point Cost: 3 permanent POW

After a successful use of the Divination power (see below), you

may choose to permanently bind the Aya into an ancient artifact

called an Aya stone. An Aya bound into a stone may be summoned

at any time at no power point cost.

Once telepathic contact has been made with the Aya via Divination,

you must defeat the Aya in psychic combat (BRP page 114).

The defeated Aya may then be bound into the stone at the cost of

three permanent points of POW.

Although the Aya initially resists the binding, once trapped within

the stone the Aya offers no complaint and makes no attempt to

escape. You may call the Aya forth at any time for any duration at

no power point cost by performing the secret activation ritual, an

action that normally consists of a specific mental image known

only to the binder and a difficult to pronounce activation phrase.

The knowledge of how to create new Aya stones is long lost. Aya

stones, both empty and occupied, are often found in ancient ruins.

Aya stones may also be aquired on the black market or stolen

from wealthy collectors.

Once an Aya is bound to a stone, it can be used by anyone that

knows the secret activation ritual.

For more information on Aya stones, see page 170.

Force Fields

Force fields and energy barriers are effective at blocking psimagic.

Force fields are opaque impenetrable barriers to sensory

powers such as Astral Projection, Aura Detection, Clairvoyance,

Danger Sense, Divination, Empathy, Intuition, Sensitivity, or

Telepathy. Powers such as Emotion Control, Mind Blast, Mind

Control, and Telepathy will not penetrate a force field.

Telekinesis will not work through a force field but it can be used

to throw a physical object at someone or something behind a

force field as if it were thrown by hand.

Powers that affect the physical world such as Cryokinesis and

Pyrokinesis may heat or cool the air outside the force field which

may have a secondary effect on the air on the other side.

Wearing Armor

Armor is bulky and inhibits the movements necessary to properly

invoke psi-magic. Wearing armor incurs an additional power

point cost for each power use.

Armor Burden Extra-----Power Point Cost

None -----0

Light -----0

Moderate -----+1

Cumbersome -----+2

The Psi-Mages of Sarkaan are psionic sorcerers, but I do little more than name-drop them and say they use psionics. I do provide a profession for them:

Psi-Mage

The mysterious and reclusive psi-mage spends his entire life

studying the psychic powers of psi-magic. Through their mastery

of psi-magic, psi-mages may achieve seemingly magical effects.

Psi-mages are also renowned for their relationship with the

demonic Aya. Many psi-mages belong to a cabal known as the

Psi-Mages of Sarkaan. For more information on the Psi-Mages of

Sarkaan, see page 119.

Wealth: Poor to Wealthy, usually Affluent.

Skills: Dodge, Insight, Knowledge (Artifacts), Knowledge (Occult),

Listen, Persuade, Sense, Spot, plus any two Psychic Power

skills.

Equipment: A psi-mage begins play with a small library (2D6

books) of grimoires (see Books and Printed Materials, BRP page

272).

Special: Psi-mages practice psi-magic, a type of psychic power

(see page 79).

[pulpcitizen]

Thanks Evil schemer. Will try and pick the book up sometime.

[Baragei]

The Hardboiled GM posted a pretty stellar review of SoC. It might tip someone off the fence:

http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=727268&postcount=1

And..have I gone blind, or what has happened to the formatting and smileys here? Gone, they are!

[Lorcan]

Okay, PDf added to cart at Chaosium. Thanks for the heads up. I remember hearing about this setting, but having it misspelled and not being able to find any details on it due to my faulty googling.

[1000buffalo]

I'm reading Swords of Cydoria right now! I picked up a print copy from Chaosium a handful of minutes ago at their booth at DundraCon.

Really enjoying my skim through right now.

[Questbird]

I bought the PDF a few weeks back. I'm really impressed with it. It looks like it would be relatively easy to make characters for and play. I like the pictures for all the races. The whole thing is overflowing with adventure hooks. Great work! (I've ordered a physical copy from Chaosium too).

[madprofessor]

I am late to the party and just discovered Cydoria. I'm usually not a sci-fi guy, but when I get the urge it is usually the Flash-Gordon, Thundarr, sword and sorcery variety of sci-fi. This game looks perfect for that particular itch. I can't believe it slipped under my radar.

Are print copies still available? I couldn't find them. I am not a fan of PDFs.

[tal]

Yes it looks like Chaosium is out of stock for the moment, however they do reprint their monographs from time to time. My guess is that if you keep checking on the monograph section it will eventually show back up. I bought both witchcraft and rubble & ruin monographs from Chaosium after they had been off the site for awhile and were eventually reprinted.

[madprofessor]

Thanks, Tal. I'll keep my eyes open. However, it looks like Conkle is taking Cydoria in a new direction in terms of the Game Mechanics/system. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and hope that Chaosium will continue to support the monograph.

[seneschal]

Sigh, first Classic Fantasy, then Chronicles of Future Earth, now Swords of Cydoria.

[Mankcam]

Yes, this is a real shame. Given Numenera's popularity, a good quality production of Swords of Cydoria could have potentially been a flagship product for BRP. Lets hope Magic World can hit the sweet spot, and I think The Green also has potential for a full fledged setting, but the sheer scope of Swords of Cydoria could have easily made it flagship material.

[fmitchell]

Given Numenera's popularity, a good quality production of Swords of Cydoria could have potentially been a flagship product for BRP.

To be fair, Numenera has a) Monte Cook, an extremely streamlined system, c) D&D-esque player-facing rules, and c) a massive media blitz (by gaming standards).

Also, as much as I like BRP, it's 30 years old and showing its age. For example, the principle that any "monster" can be a PC is interesting, but these days time-constrained GMs prefer a system where they can invent NPCs or creatures on the fly. Yes, you can invent skill percentages and characteristics off the top of your head, but it takes more effort than picking a few numbers (or as in Numenera one number) and modifying to taste. CoC 7 is I think trying to streamline BRP while retaining some backward compatibility, although whether it will succeed in the marketplace is a big question.

[Mankcam]

I was indicating the similarities in setting flavour rather than mechanics. But yes, you are right that there are elements of BRP that could be streamlined. Character gen could be quicker, and a more direct relationship between attributes and skills would be good. Magic World's quick skill allocation system for character generation is a pretty good idea, something that could be replicated for other BRP games.

Numenera's one number opponent rating may be an innovation that most systems would have trouble competing with, its a great idea.However its easy to make up opponents on the fly in BRP as well, you just need HP and one or two skills. These things need to be presented in the actual core rules rather than well known GM home rules.

I think most of thhe BRP system can stand up well to newer systems, it just needs streamlining here and there.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Mankcam