Spes Magna Games

Well, I’ve gone against my better judgment. We ended our Savage Worlds campaign, and I’ve started a d20 Modern/d20 Future campaign that started in the near future of 2069 aboard Space Station Alpha. By the conclusion of the first session, a strange solar event transported the station and all its personnel approximately 250,000,000 years into the future.

During session two, the PCs stepped into leadership roles. The station’s position was stabilized. Plans for food rationing were made. Maintenance drones were repurposed for long-range scouting. One drone found what appeared to be a collection of stone structures on the so-called dark side of the Moon. Another identified two possible areas in a temperate zone on Earth that looked like promising landing sites.

The PCs decided to scout the Moon location first as it was closer to the station. Two NPC pilots took the four PCs on a trip around the Moon. They maneuvered in for a closer look, noting the ramps between buildings, the presence of black-sailed galleons, and, unfortunately for CPO Scharff (Alex’s character), a brief glimpse of one of the monstrous inhabitants (depicted just below).

The players got to add a Sanity score to their character sheets, and Scharff failed the first SAN check of the campaign. LT Mantis (Eric’s character) managed to calm the dangerously panicked Scharff down, and the pilots made a hasty retreat. Back on the station, those in charge decided to not inform station personnel about the moon monsters.

A couple of days later, the PCs loaded up the shuttle with personnel and supplies, and made a landing on the island identified as a possible site via probe. They found fresh water, strange piscean statues, and a collection of ponderous stone structures near the beach. They decided to set up camp near the crater lake above what they take to be an abandoned village. The security detail went off to scout.

In the “village”, the PCs found the strange bird-creature captured via tangle gun by the security detail. They also found three strange statues of smallish size and a sealed clay pot. Scharff found faint tracks of something bipedal but not human leading from the “village” to the surf. The group found a resinous material in the clay pot that chemical analysis showed to be highly psychoactive.

The Bird-Creature
Small Animal
HD: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Init: +2
Spd: 15 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 30 ft.
Def: 14 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grp: +1/-3
Atk: Beak +3 melee (1d4)
Full Atk: Beak +3 melee (1d4) and 2 talons +0 melee (1d4)
FS/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
SQ: Low-light vision
AL: None
SV: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
AP: 0
Rep: +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Spot +13, Swim +13
Feats: Weapon Finesse (beak, talons)
Environment: Temperate coasts
Organization: Solitary, pair, or flock (3-12)
Advancement: None

This avian creature resembles the albatross in size and coloration, but its feet are both webbed and sport sharp talons. Its beak has serrations and can inflict serious wounds with a sawing-motion bite. The bird-creature has been observed to dive into the sea and swim in pursuit of its prey. It appears to feed exclusively on fish.

Tags: d20 System, monsters, Tuesday Terror

Cervus
No. Enc.: 1d8
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 180′ (60′)
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1 or 2 (gore or bite)
Damage: 2d6 (1 or 2 gores), 1d8 (1 bite)
Save: L2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: None
XP: 190

Mutations: Ultravision, Unique (Anticoagulant Saliva)

The cervus is a monstrous, predatory deer. When fully grown, an adult cervus stands over six feet at the shoulder. Its antlers spread wide enough that it can gore two targets who are within 10 feet of each other. The cervus deals double damage with its gore after charging. Outward curving canines jut from the cervus’ upper jaw, and it has a powerful bite. Its bite may deliver a dose of anticoagulant saliva (save versus poison). Prey affected by the saliva bleed profusely, losing two hit points per round until the wound can be properly bandaged.

About one in four or five cervuses has a third eye. A three-eyed cervus is intelligent. Roll 6+1d4 for Intelligence and Willpower, and increase save to L4. It also has 0-3 (1d4-1) mental mutations. Add 55 XP per additional mutation.

Tags: monsters, Mutant Future

Later this month at my new school, I’m almost certainly going to revive Ludi Fabularum, the after-school story game club that I’ve facilitated before. I’m leaning heavily toward starting participants out with M&M‘s third edition. (Nota Bene: That’s an affiliate link.) If I do, I’m likely to use some variation on the Marvel Universe. I figure most if not all of the participants will have seen the MCU movies at a minimum.

The Horn of Valhalla’s echoing note opens a portal to Asgard and calls forth up to four average Asgardians. It is rumored that more powerful Horns of Valhalla summon Asgardian warriors, Valkyries, fire giants, and so forth. The most powerful Horn of Valhalla, held by Heimdall, reportedly summons an entire army of Asgardians.

Horn of Valhalla: Summon 5 (Extras: Active, Horde, Multiple Minions 2 [4 Average Asgardians]; Flaw: Easily Removable) [Cost: 8/rank, 29 points]

Average Asgardian (PL 6 Minion)
Strength 6, Stamina 2, Agility 1, Dexterity 0, Fighting 3, Intellect 1, Awareness 1, Presence 1

Powers

Asgardian
Enhanced Strength 2 (Flaw: Lifting Only) [Cost: 0.5/rank, 1 point]
Immunity 2 (Aging, Disease) [Cost: 1/rank, 2 points]
Protection 4 (Extra: Impervious) [Cost: 2/rank, 8 points]
Regeneration 2 [Cost: 1/rank, 2 points]
Speed 2 (8 MPH) [Cost: 1/rank, 2 points]

Advantages: Diehard, Equipment 3, Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Power Attack

Skills: Athletics 6 (+12), Perception 4 (+5)

Offense
Initiative: +5
Weapon +3 (Close, Damage 9, Crit 19-20)

Defense
Dodge 6 (3 without Large Shield)
Parry 6 (3 without Large Shield)
Fortitude 8
Toughness 6
Will 4

Power Point Totals: Abilities 30 + Powers 15 + Advantages 7 + Skills 5 + Defenses 9 = 66

Tags: magic items, Mutants & Masterminds

In TSR’s excellent Marvel Super Heroes game, movement is abstracted into units called areas, with each area being “about half a city block, or 44 yards” for game purposes. A character with Feeble movement moves one area per round, or about 132 feet in 6 seconds. This has Aunt May (Feeble Endurance) running a four minute mile. Mister Fantastic hits a mile in about two minutes. Kingpin (with his Incredible Endurance) would be even faster.

In MSH, Kingpin runs at 45 miles per hour, and Aunt May would qualify for the Olympics.

In fairness, for the years that I played MSH, this was never an issue. We just counted out areas on the map. I don’t recall anyone ever wondering why Aunt May could sprint half a city block in six seconds. I’m certainly not going to complain about a lack of realism in game that includes superheroes.

But, still, really?

Turning over to the third edition of Mutants & Masterminds, I see that an elderly person would likely have a -2 Constitution rank. If that translated to movement (which it doesn’t in M&M) that’d be one-fifth normal speed, which seems a bit slow. Half speed, or 15 feet per round, seems better for Aunt May. That’d put Aunt May at about 15 minutes to hustle a mile.

If I expand on this idea, here’s what I get for ground speeds based on Endurance in MSH:

Feeble Endurance: 5 yards/round (or Feeble speed)
Poor to Excellent Endurance: 10 yards/round (or Poor speed)
Remarkable or Higher Endurance: 15 yards/round (or Typical speed)

Continuing the table with ground speeds for characters with enhanced movement powers based on this progression puts Unearthly running speed at a decent 50 yards/round. While fifty yards in six seconds is pretty quick, but it’s not Quicksilver quick. Powers need to have their own scale, and I think MSH has the right idea here.

A character with even Feeble Lightning Speed should be faster than pretty much anyone without superhuman powers. Using the normal values in MSH accomplishes this goal. A Feeble Lightning Speed speedster hits a mile in about four minutes, which would be about three times faster than the fastest person without movement powers. With Good Lightning Speed, he’s clocking a mile a minute. In keeping with MSH, air speed is even faster.

As shown on the table below, considerations related to tactical movement quickly become sort of irrelevant when dealing with movement powers. The Human Torch (Excellent Flight) covers 1,200 feet in one round. This is a shade slower in terms of areas (9 rather than 10) if using the area system of movement.

When it comes to hitting a moving target with a ranged attack, a -1CS applies against targets moving up to 600 feet/round, a -2CS against those moving up to 1200 feet/round, and -4CS against anything faster (assuming in all cases the target is charging straight at the shooter).

Tags: Marvel Super Heroes

Whew!

I started back up as a full-time teacher this month. I’m at a Catholic boys school about eight minutes from the house. So far, I’m enjoying the new gig. It’s certainly a huge improvement over my last full-time teaching position.

Anyway, on 7 August, Terry, a friend and fellow gamer, suggested I stat up the Greenland shark as a monster. I did a bit of reading about Greenland sharks. They are one more confirmation that nature hates us and will eat us given the chance. Seriously scary animal. Don’t let its goofy smile fool you. It’s hungry, and you’re lunch.

And so, here’s my take on the Greenland shark as a amphibious horror for use with Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer’s Edition. (N.B. That’s an affiliate link also.)

Drukkin

We saw the blunt dorsal fin break the surface a dozen or so yards from the edge of the ice shelf. The seals must have seen it too. Those in the water flopped up onto the ice, and all of them moved away from the edge. None of could identify the shark, and we became a bit excited at the thought of stumbling onto a new species.

“Um, it’s picking up speed,” Roberts said.

He was right. The shark surged through the water, straight toward the ice shelf’s edge. Just as it was about to hit, rather than veering or diving, it burst from the water, it’s eyes flashing with an unearthly green light. Before it hit the ice, its pectoral fins changed, lengthened, became segmented. Monstrous three-toed paws with yard-long talons burst from the end of each limb.

“Run!”

We ran, desperately trying to avoid the panicked seals as well as escape the horrid fish. When I heard Roberts’s scream end abruptly, I knew it was gaining on us….

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+4, Vigor d12
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d12, Shooting d8, Swimming d10
Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness 12

Special Abilities
Aquatic: Pace 10.
Bite: STR+d6.
Eye Bolts: Range: 30/60/120. Damage: 1-3d6, based on range. Rate of Fire: 1 or 2. The drukkin can fire bolts of burning energy from its eyes. After using its eye bolts, the drukkin is -2 on Notice checks until the end of its next turn.
Fear: -2. The drukkin inspires fear when it attacks or transforms.
Hardy: The drukkin does not suffer a wound from being Shaken twice.
Large: Attackers add +2 to their attack rolls when attacking the drukkin due to its large size.
Size: +4. The drukkin can grow up to 25 feet in length.
Transformation: As an action, the drukkin can transform so that it can function on land or revert back to its aquatic form.

Tags: monsters, Savage Wednesday, Savage Worlds