[HMtW] The Grumpus (Blogwagon Holiday Special)

Another blogwagon time. This go around its a hex for a Christmas themed hexcrawl in the style of them old Rankin/Bass stop motion pictures outta the 60's. You know the one: young kid runs away from home because he's different from the others, meets various barely contained psychopaths, and returns years later to be accepted because the cruel taskmaster overlord needs to exploit him. A noble yeti is forced into domestication via violence. Something about a toy Vapula? Yeah, that's the one. That and it's eighteen sequels. 

Only trouble is, well, fuck this holiday. It's a miserable time of year when the corporations pump their propaganda on an already broke and breaking working class, guilting them into buying the over priced slop that no one needs. At one point, Saint Nicholas only gave to the needy; a good and proper thing to do. Nowadays, Santa Claus is a false idol in the worship of materialism. Buy that overpriced, easily broken, unrepairable, beeping, blinking, do nothing piece of plastic and precious metals that will sit in the remains of a landfill long after your carcass has crumbled to ash OR ELSE YOU HATE YOUR LOVED ONES. "Consume, you ignorant bastards, it's on sale!" They continue, having jacked the prices, only to cut them by a meager amount to make it look as if you're saving money. 

Fuck that. Fuck them. Fuck it. And the holiday they rode in on. Especially for making me agree with the Calvinists on this. 

"But Wayspell, the lights and decorations are so pretty. Everything is so happy and cheerful." I can't help you if you're going to intentionally blind yourself to the reality at large with glittering trinkets, like some sort of mutant magpie on hallucinogenics. I'd tell you to "put on the glasses" but that would make me Roddy Piper, you Keith David, and, well, my back already hurts. 

But, I didn't come here to go on and on about your shortcomings. I came here to tell you about - 

The Grumpus

Crossing the borders of this forested hex is a notable ordeal: whatever snow was falling, whatever whimsical song was playing in the background, whatever merry time was being had - ends. It all just ends. The snow stops falling, melting upon the ground. Background music goes from wintery bells bullshit to something more appropriate for Halloween. The trees are no longer beautiful pines, hearty and strong, but sad, cruel, twisted things, hunched over and bare of all needles. Ravens caw and mock just out of sight. A thin fog snakes along the ground, thick with malice, but intangible.

At the center of it all lies the homestead: a small cabin and accompanying garden. The garden is a small one, enough for only one person, though it contains several scarecrows wearing red fur coats. The cabin is a simple thing of wood and stone, adorned with wind chimes made from tinnies and antlers. There's most likely a small fire in the fire pit out front. A single, old, wooden chair sits there, partnered with a table for holding drinks and cigarettes. Honestly, the table is probably a telephone cable spool. Inside is mostly bare: A cot, a chair by the fireplace, a cooler for beer. More tinnies dot the floor. The room is awash in the soft glow coming from the noses of the reindeer whose heads are mounted along the walls. 

This is the home of the Grumpus. 

Standing seven foot tall, with eyebrows reaching to the brim of his hat paired with a wispy bearded to his knees, and clad in a shabby blue robe patched with red fur, a rough worn wizard hat, and the lingering smell of nicotine, the Grumpus* is a crushingly dour individual. He lives here, in the cabin, neither happy, nor fully alone; but in an empty acceptance of the bigfeet who call this hex home. If he knew how to make it a sanctuary for them, he would. But he don't. So he don't. Despite his demeanor, he fully respects guest rights, as long as those who intrude respect host rights. 

Now, what he does not respect - not in the slightest; not in a single modicum or even an atom of respect - perhaps better to say he outright reviles, is that villainous, revolting holiday known as Christmas. His malice towards this ever decadent holiday is to the point that he will offer to pay 500 gold for any Santa pelts brought to him. 

What's that? Oh, yes, there's plural Santa Clauses. That's why he (probably) keeps turning up in almost every hex. Plural nasal bioluminescent deer as well.

Thought I had time for art. I was wrong. Hopefully I'll fix this later.

The Grumpus

Man Strategist

A former wizard adventurer turned hermit, the Grumpus carries no patience or joy for things deemed "cheery" or "jolly." He resides alone, save for the occasional visit from the near by bigfoot tribe, and prefers it this way. While retired, he still carries his archwood staff, mostly out of habit, slightly out of necessity for walking in his old age. Not that he'll admit it. 

Health/Defense: 3 / 4

Attributes: Swords 1 | Pentacles 3 | Cups 4 | Wands 7

Likes: Bigfoots, Being alone, the Mari Lwyd (strangely)

Hates: Christmas, Santa Clauses

Notes: 

* Heavy Metal Christmas - His beard counts as a Shield, for the purpose of Defense.

* The Night Santa Went Crazy - IF violence does break out, he's attacking the jolliest looking motherfucker first. 

Lesser Dooms

* Drinking Up Christmas - Heals a Wound by chugging a beer as a Miscellaneous action. Dude can carry a full sixer in his robe.

* It's Not Christmas Until Someone Cries - Using the Staff as a focus, the Grumpus can make attack Attack actions of arcane energy up to one zone away. He adds is Wands attribute, rather than Swords, to these Attacks on his turn. He is never engaged by using this ability. 

* Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight) - Seemingly having a mind of its own, the Grumpus can wiggle his beard, lashing out in surprising ways. He may perform Roughhouse actions using his beard. 

Greater Dooms

* There Ain't No Sanity Clause - While holding the staff, the Grumpus can cast any Weald spell from Appendix A without components. Also the Welkin spells Binding and Life, for some reason. Cast spells by playing a lesser doom Speak Invocations actions and discarding a greater doom card to cover Resolve cost. Each additional greater doom card discarded adds +1 Resolve. 

If you're cold, they're cold. Let them in.

Mari Lwyd

Unique Spirit

The Grey Mare, a grim yet festive personification of winter. Appearing as a skeletal horse with glowing, wrapped in a cloak of spectral mist and wearing festive ribbon and bows, the Mari Lwyd wanders from home to home, spreading cheer in the form of screaming rhymes at each other and consuming all the booze in the house and chasing people.

Health/Defense: -

Attributes: Swords - | Pentacles - | Cups - | Wands - 

Likes: Singing Rhymes, Booze, Chasing people

Dislikes: Teatotalers, Sobriety

Notes:

* Put the Cards Away - You won't need them, we're trying something a little different here. 

* Pwnco - When the Mari Lwyd appears, it demands booze from the party in the form of a rhyming couplet or insult. Should the party fail to respond in kind with a witty excuse as to why they cannot provide wanted booze, the Mari Lwyd inflicts damage against the part in the form of consuming all the booze within their inventory. Should the party have no booze in their collective inventory, then it consumes half of all rations. Should there be no rations within the party, it inflicts one Wound to everyone and leaves. IF the party manages to outwit the Mari Lwyd, it cackles wildly and runs off, leaving behind twenty inventory slots of alcohol. 

The Meatgrinder

01. Torches/Spells Gutter

02. Torches/Spells Gutter

03. Torches/Spells Gutter

04. Torches/Spells Gutter

05. Torches/Spells Gutter

06. [Curiosity] A mournful cry of something intelligent, but not human, echoes through the forest.

07. [Curiosity] What looks to be a poorly made lean-to sits forgotten beside a fallen tree. 

08. [Curiosity] The mixed smell of spiced cider and wet moss drifts on the wind. 

09. [Curiosity] A skeleton in a faded red coat lays impaled upon a twisted wooden spike, several feet taller than expected. Smaller spikes dot the area, hidden in the underbrush.

10. [Curiosity] Muddy ground still holds massive, human-like footprints, well over 15 inches long.

11. [Travel Event] Lashing out from the debris littered ground, a snaggle vine wraps around the leg of the final adventure of the marching order, Rooting them. The more they struggle, the tighter it squeezes. 

12. [Travel Event] The mist moves in tight around the characters, obfuscating the path. A Disadvantaged Cups test is needed to keep from getting lost.  

13. [Travel Event] In the distance, a ways through the dark, a red glowing light blinks slowly. Anyone approaching the glowing reindeer nose must make a Pentacles test or get caught in snare traps, dragging them up into the tree branches.

14. [Travel Event] Laying on a rock, pretty as you please, is a golden triangular coin. Free gold! Score! (Well, actually, the coin is cursed and if it's picked up, the carrier is Stressed by strange voices as long as they carry it.) 

15. [Travel Event] During a brief rest, a tear in an adventurer's pack is discovered. The item in the last inventory slot(s) has fallen out and is now missing. Taking the time to backtrack and scout for it causes another Meatgrinder check. 

16. [Random Encounter] Three imps make silly faces at one another, using the shiny breastplate of a long dead knight as a mirror. 

17. [Random Encounter] Nestled among the withering trees, a premeditation of Gorcrows watch the adventures, following along and looking for their time to strike.

18. [Random Encounter] Wandering leisurely through the forest, a troop of bigfeet will begin throwing stones and other debris, should they notice the adventures.  

19. [Random Encounter] Escorted by an entourage of corpse lights, the Mari Lwyd cuts through the thick fog, eyes aglow and set on the party's food and drink.

20. [Random Encounter] Weaving through the misty forest, the Grumpus keeps watch for that villain Santa Claus. 

21. [Quest Rumor] 

---------

* His real name is Percival Cromwell of House Humburg

Continue Reading...

Cardinal Goons

 The Pope is dead, again, and the leader of the capitalist world is proposing the dumbest thing ever, again, and now his mega rich followers have gone to the Vatican to combine the two situations. I needn't tell you how these people's messiah would whip the shit out of them with a whip of his own braiding. They lack self awareness and the critical thinking to realize this, however.

But, now a game of how Cardinals become Popes. Strangely it doesn't involve shedding skin during metamorphosis.

Cardinal Goons

The Gist

Six candidate Cardinals must delve into the catacombs of Vatican City. There, they will face unknown and terrifying challenges; tests to ensure their Devotion, Piety, and Infallibility. They must delve deep and retrieve the triregnum, to return with it and sit upon the Cathedra. 

But be warned: The throne only seats one. 

(You know Tunnel Goons? It's that, but with select cardinals. The majority is rehashed here for convenience.)  

Action Rolls

When the outcome of an action is uncertain, roll 2d6 + ability + 1/relevant item. If the result is equal to or greater than the assigned Difficult Score (DS), then it is a success. If the action is potentially dangerous (ie. attacking a roaming Head of John the Baptist), then the difference in the resulting roll and the DC is the amount of damage done. Basically, if you fail the roll, you take damage equal to the difference. If you succeed, you give the damage. 

Difficulty Score

Easy: 8 | Medium: 10 | Hard: 12

Inventory

The Inventory Score is how many things you can stuff into your adventure sack. Anything over this number causes a -1 to be added to your Pius and Sin rolls. 

Characters come with 3 unique items, but the rest of the pack is yours to fill. Or overfill, even.

Inventory Score starts at 8. 

Heath and Death

Heal starts at 10. When you reach 0, you are dead. 

Regain all Health lost by stopping for a meal of pasta and wine. This takes about 30 minutes.

Advancement

If you’re still playing this for some reason, you advance every 2 game sessions. Raise 1 attribute (below) and choose your Inventory or Health to also increase by 1. 

Attributes

Every character starts off with 0 or more points in the following attributes. 

Pius - Your ability to avoid the devil. Literally dodging away from him.

Devotion - Your dedication to scripture, both the written and spoken word.  

Sin - Your ability to do terrible things. Hitting, stealing, trials of the flesh.

Also, everyone speaks their native language and Latin. 

The Papabili

Cardinal Chook Duggery

_The Tree Hugger_

P 2 | D 1 | S 0

* Habit of Francis of Assisi - Allows for speaking with Animals.

* Corked Galero - Protects against swarms of things. 

* Crozier of Saint Fiarce - Functions as a Staff weapon, but also can cause Grasping Vines to grow (DC 10) 

Cardinal Giuseppe Archette

_The Studious_

P 1 | D 2 | S 0

* Scroll of Saint Floran (DC 10) - Spits a fireball at the target. Consumed on Failure.

* Scroll of Jude Thaddeus (DC 10) - Restores Health. Consumed on Failure.

* Finger Bone of Saint Anthony of Padua - Protects against the Undead as Armor. 1st degree artifact. 

Cardinal Godric Foundling

_The Knight_

P 0 | D 1 | S 2

* Armored Mitre - Dented and bloodied, but it perceivers 

* Sword of Saint Catherine - Yes, that one. 

* Rib Bone of Saint George - Provides divine protection from the knight of knights. 

Cardinal Ignacio Marquez

_The Red_ 

P 1 | D 0 | S 2

* Piano wire reinforced rosary beads

* Dagger (hidden within crucifix) 

* Red silk gloves

Cardinal Jean-Claude Chisanga 

_The Untouchable_

P 2 | D 0 | S 1

* Ankle Bone of Saint Christopher (DC 10) - When set to a trip line, causes an alarm to cry once the line is tripped. 

* Habit of Saint Nicholas Owen (DC 10) - Allows the wearer to appear to be up to five feet from their actual location. Consumed on failure. 

* Sack of Golden Caltrops

Cardinal Lucien De Vos

_The Raven_

P 3 | D 0 | S 0

* Toe Knuckle of Saint Casila - Aids in sneaking. 1st degree artifact.

* Lockpick of Saint Baldomerus - Set of lockpicks used by Baldomerus of Lyons. 2nd degree artifact. 

* Hand of Glory - Unlocks any door. Once. Consumed on use.

Cardinal Seamus O’Brien

_The Lich_ 

P 0 | D 3 | S 0

* Scroll of Saint Rita of Cascia (DC 10) - Raises a servant from a currently unused corpse. Consumed on failure. Fails if a servant currently exists. 

* Blood of Saint Januarius (DC 10) - Allows for the viewing of ghosts. 1st degree artifact. Consumed on failure.

* Thurible (as mace) - Billows sweet smelling smoke as it swings. 

Cardinal Stanislaw Kovacs 

_The Serpent Tongued_

P 0 | D 2 | S 1

* Pickled Tongue of Saint Bartholomew - When placed in the user’s mouth, anything they speak detects as the truth. 

* Scroll of Saint Joseph of Cupertino (DC 10) - Makes the target forget the last few moments. Consumed on failure. 

* Silver snake dagger 

Cardinal Tex Smith

_The American_

P 0 | D 0 | S 3

* Thoughts - Gold plated desert eagle. Twined with Prayers.

* Prayers - Gold plated desert eagle. Twined with Thoughts.

* Plate of Deep Fried Spaghetti (ration)

Doug Nash

_The Lost Tourist_

P 1 | D 1 | S 1

* Cell Phone - No reception

* Sacred Heart of Jesus statue (as Club) - Bought from the gift shop

* Tourist Guide Book - Good for looking things up. 

Continue Reading...

Cyberpunk West Marches: A Follow Up

 Writing this in my phone, let's see if it actually takes. 

Hospitals suck. American hospitals more so. You'd think sitting here I'd have plenty of time to catch up on blog reading and jambling down the multitude of ideas I've got buzzing around in my diseased brainmeat but, nope, spent it worrying. Worrying and coming to terms with what a corrupt and bloated system we've got, especially when it comes to the insurance company hucksters. Americans aren't citizens of a country, we're customers. 

Wait, wait, nope, you're probably not here for that. Though I'll venomously go into it on one of the social sites, if you wish. 

I believe I owe a follow up. 

Overview

The game, before Life made the poor decision of allowing my former rock and roll lifestyle to catch up to me, took place in what the underworld mercenaries called Kill City. Not the official government name for the city, mind you, but a nickname given based on the violence commonplace in the day to day life. Also to stick with the Iggy Pop references.

The Hub of the world was Finn's: a seedy, dimly lit dive bar that served as a meeting place for mercenaries (who I almost called "Wild Boys" in sticking with the song. Good dodge on that one in hindsight) and third party fixers,  as well as neutral territory for local gangs. 

The bar itself was down a back ally, as all good bars are, between a shitty Asian fusion restaurant and the office of W. Smith, Attorney (a name I completely made up). It was a cloudy sea of nicotine heavy smoke, poor quality cyberware, and shitty tattoos. Jobs were initially offered up by a one Winston "McW00t", a burnt out hacker turned fixer that hides in the bar from his wife during the day (who herself thought he worked in a local chicken plant); and at least once by Killian, the proprietor and take-no-shit bartendress of the place. More quest givers were unlockable through certain actions, as well as other gang associated bars, however we didn't make it that far. 

Taking the jobs were two main players, each with a stable of four characters, and three other players with their own stables, that came as went as time allowed. Sessions usually had at least three folks in attendance. Though just the main two was not uncommon. This menagerie of assholes oversaw the partial destruction of a residential Fuller dome after a lover's quarrel with a husband saw the local gang (Sonic Reducers) called in to fulfill a protection contract; the Genesis of the idea that maybe the city's paramedics shouldn't be trusted; and the potential escape of a Laser Raptor from a secret and completely illegal biological research center - to name a few. 

Major landmarks and involved mega corporations were still sort of in flux at the time of indefinite pause, but included:

• Gewalt Arms Battle Dome - Every crumbling empire eventually turns to bloodsports. This one is sponsored by an arms manufacturer. 
• Patriot Burger Hologram - The twenty story tall hologram of a buxom blonde with impossible body proportions in an American flag bikini and welding dual assault rifles that fired into the air on the hour, which served as an advertisement for Patriot Burger fastfood restaurants, but strangely never mentioned Patriot Burger. 
• Saint Iscariot's House of Eternal Servitude - A megachurch smack in the middle of an impoverished neighborhood, blaring religiosity over a PA system 24/7, yet never actually helping the people of said neighborhood.
• Morningstar Laboratories - Experimental physics laboratory that probably should not have been built downtown.
• Fission Plant - The local powerplant that was very obviously leaking toxic sludge into the surrounding area due to cost cutting on safety systems. 
• Hodag Mart - A popular chain of bodegas around the city. Inspired by the incredible gift of artwork from Hodag (which will be included in the next PDF update, should I ever get my act together)
• Vitulus Aureus - "People are our products"
• Wormwood Pharmaceuticals - Pumping out strange and untested drugs for all to "enjoy." Had a multitude of illegal production sites around the city 
• Zen Security - The privatized police force overseeing the City. Also the largest gang in town.

A bout of writer's block (my eternal foe) led to the creation of a Character Generator and Job Generator, both available on the SRD site. They ain't the end all be all, but they get the job done. 

Unfortunately, I still can't decide on a stat block format for enemies so most remain chicken scratches in a notebook. 

A "Gang Affinity" system was just the faction system from Fallout New Vegas with the serial number filed off. It (would have) affected reaction rolls of various gang members and fixers throughout the city, using the highest score amongst those present. Never got that far, however. 

I'm hoping to jam all this into a more fleshed out Setting document. Some day. 

The Take Away

Over all, it went fairly well. 

The stable of characters was a hit, and allowed for the smaller player base to adapt to the job at hand. With the system being fairly lethal and character creation being quick, generating a new character and selecting one from a stockpile is rather comparable. I should consider this and explore the idea deeper when I've more space in my Thought Cabinet. 

The Stable did make the Gang Affinity system a pain in the ass. Or would have - it didn't have enough time to fully develop, but I got enough to see the data I'd have to keep track of would pile up. Solutions for this would either be a program to keep track of the data for me and present it at relevant times or, more likely, give delta templates like "Loved by [Gang Name]" after certain thresholds are met, biddable to adjust reaction checks made by that gang. 

I also believe I need to adjust the XP system for when a Stable is used. Despite having applied vague numbers to it, I'm still a bastard who assigns XP along the lines of "feels about right." Through out TTRPGs the XP system is one of the most varied and, honestly, was never a high priority to me. If I'm gonna move forward with Stable play (a weird phrase I hope to never repeat) something more akin to popcorn leveling will be needed, though even that has never set right with me. I'd also have to adjust that one Face ability. 

I need to figure out how to adapt my famous "Bring the GM a beer" mechanics to the domain of online play. 

The largest take away was one I'm still trying to fit sensible words to, rather than the knowing nods and vague grunts I currently have applied to the notion. I'll start at the beginning and try to word salad into something useful:

The original idea was to follow a West Marches style of play. That being based around a large unexplored hex map where characters went out and explored, having to prepare and account for the unexpected hardships of overland travel. 

This made sense for West Marches.

It was a fantasy based setting and that genre (from my experience) tends to be long winded about even the most trivial of details. Tolkien, for instance, wanks off for twenty pages about rivers with no names, miles that stretch on into forever, and every singing chipmunk in between, then tries to retcon the details through another 30 pages in the next book, prattling on about a king that's been dead for ages. In short, the mystery is in the physical world.

It doesn't entirely make sense for cyberpunk.

The world of cyberpunk is, typically, close to our world, just with robot parts jammed into people. They have, at the very least, the conveniences we take for granted taken for even more granted. Especially travel: Hiro casual makes his way from Las Angeles to British Columbia in a matter of hours; both Sta-Hi and Case make it into orbit with ticket fare; Cowboy crosses the Midwest in comparatively little effort. They cross the world, sure, but there is no mystery in the physical world. The mystery lies in the social/technical world. 

I'm probably using the wrong words, but also I'm poorly educated. 

As cyberpunk is close to our world, we know what's there. While we don't know places like "Ungoliant's Liar" or "Great Gates", we know places like "Midwest" and "Low Orbit" and can picture these places with a general accuracy. The mystery then is from the advanced technology, for what it is, juxtaposed against a crumbled dystopian society fueled by the fascist systems of ultracorporatism as a reflection of our own modern problems. 

 

You know, the basic premise to the cyberpunk genre. Well, that and Toronto's drug scene circa 1967.

Hindsight.

Also, I'm not sure if you're aware of it or not, cities are big and crowded. Even with a hex representing a single block that's still a huge amount of detail to pack in, where as a forest hex can easily be one encounter per six miles. Though, mind you, I do live in a backwoods forest town where everything is wooded and familiar while being terrified of the big city lights and sounds and buildings over two stories tall. 

Anyway, all that blathering to say that the exact map is less important, thus knocking it out of the "West March" play style. Perhaps the map should have been less representative of a physical city and more of a meta-map of interlocking conspiracies and secret plots. Something to chew on while I've nothing better to do.

In Closing

I need a stiff drink. Hell, I'd settle for a PBR and a pack of Mavericks found in an abandoned parking lot.

Continue Reading...

Werberth: A Miserable Little Setting

 

When it comes to projects, I got three major hurtles: starting, doing, and finishing. Indecision, you see. Wracked with it. 

Anyway, I made a map. Filled it full of random features, random place names. Really making it up as I went, grabbing words out of a thesaurus as I went, all in an attempt to get over the hemming and hawing I seem prone to...and it seems to have taken on a theme of decay and ruin. I neither know why, nor what that says about my headspace at the moment.

Is this anything? I don't know.  

The Map

The Places

Northern Cordillera  

A mountain range. To the North. Yeah, the names here are gonna be along those lines. On the surface it's a land of Mountain Giants, Rock Trolls, and Frost Thralls. Below it's a realm of World Sap, Dwarven Ghosts, and Neitherlings. 

Fjallhiem 

Capital of Mountain Giants and the remains of their kingdom. Full of twisting Halls and feral giants guarding corroded and tarnished treasures of a forgotten empire. 

Last Grotto

Once the home of the Maggot King, now just a tomb full of dwarven ghosts and eldritch machinery reaching deep into the greasy earth. 

Vestigial Forest

A thick, ancient forest of black wooded trees littered with spiderwebs and assassin vines, stretching from the coast, out past the Unnamed Lake, and coming to border the Trash Lands. Home to your typical woodland inhabitants (though each and everyone is a bastard), as well as various Trolls, Landwights, and Mistfelled. Dotting the landscape are ruins of an unknown civilization, neither dwaven, giant, or elven. 

Skybound Temple

An open air temple complex, the "rooms" of which are separated by statues so tightly pack together they're effectively walls. While the statues appear vaguely human, closer inspection shows they are clearly not, howeer each and every one bears an expression of awe as they look to the sky. Little is known about the sight, as researchers tend to go missing. This is almost certainly due to the rune of teleportation carved in the exact center, aimed somewhere beyond the stars. 

Arcanum

The first time magic was declared outlawed in Weberth, the more well-to-do magic users struck North along the coast, staying close to the City enough to continue trade, but far enough away to ignore most of the laws they disagreed with. Due to this, the premier University of Magic was established - it probably bares some haughty, hoity toity name - and still operates to this day. While Arcanum does train the majority of War Mages in the Werberth army, you can rest assure their loyalty lies with Arcanum before the Republic. With such a large population of magic users in one location, one would probably be worried of some eldritch, other worldly nonsense probably happening. Well, worry not, because it definitely is. 

Werberth

The city built on the location where Man first arrived at these shores. Essentially the capital of Man's expanse, as contact with the Old World has been lost. The sky hangs heavy with greasy clouds raining soot from the factories burning troll oil. Slums are swollen, overfull of population numbers they were never fit for, easing occasionally as sickness burns through them. Meanwhile, the plutocracy grow fat in their mansions, playing at politics in their corporate republic. 

Kings Ruin

Briefly, just after contact with the Old World was lost, there was a big fight about whether or not another monarchy should be established. The pro-monarchists won this drawn out, and bloody, argument, and built their victory city and new capitol of Kings Run on the shores of the Unnamed Lake. Soon, disease struck the city and as the city fell, so too did the new monarchy. Now, the city lies empty, lifeless, and hollow. 

Plague Spring

When the disease struck, those that carried it were at first rounded up and driven from the city. These exiles eventually settled and founded a city referred to as Plague Spring. They also eventually got better, the sickness clearing just as mysteriously as it came. Unfortunately, the disease had taken a psychological toll on the carriers, which was passed down through the generations. People here tend to shun outsiders and are prone to paranoia. 

Unnamed Lake

I just forgot to name it.

Fort Forlorn

If one referred to it as the farthest reach of the Republic, they would be wrong. Given the population and manpower, the fort is definitely an "over reach." Supply caravans are late and under supplied, if they show up at all. Cannibalism and mutiny have are often a problem. At this point it's a gang of madmen sanctioned by the government to terrorize the local wilderness. Why does the Republic continue to operate this obviously cursed place? It's probably just the nature of crumbling empires to spread their military as widely as possible, continuously throwing money at it, rather than acknowledging the actual, real problems facing the population. 

Flooding Tidewater

A low lying coastal forest, with perpetually water logged ground, which tends to flood every nine and a half months. The effect of this is a permeating smell of mildew and general sense of discomfort in the summer months. Moldmen are said to lurk the woods, spreading their spores as they shamble. 

Brightwood

The only real, organized settlement in the region. The streets are paved, crime is low, the sky is always sunny, and everyone wears a smile near constantly. Who knew dark rituals and mass drugging via the water supply could be so effective? The haute cuisine here is divine (in that it's served in a sacred ritual to the god of Rot and Consumption. Probably cannibalistic. Definitely not healthy.) 

Rotfarm

Once the Moldmen burial grounds, the settlers here have cultivated the mold into an edible harvest. Not great, but edible. Surely there is no side effects from eating sentient mold. Mold covers everything here: the houses, the people, the odd livestock. Everything but new comers, and that doesn't last long. 

The Barricades

A collection of barrier islands separating the mainland from the Haunted Mere. Okay, technically, they're just a sandbar; sand and sediment pilled up and not actually connected to anything. Which explains why a town or camp will go missing occasionally after a seasonal hurricane. Definitely not due to anything coming off the ocean in a mist of spirit light. Phares (lighthouses) and ship wrecks dot the shores. The later almost certainly due to scavengers tying lanterns to horse heads and pretending to be the former. 

Sound Side

One of the only permanent settlements in region, largely due to it being built on the sound, rather than storm ridden waters of the mere. Serves as a smuggling route between Werberth and Arcanum. 

Channel Phares

Twin colossal lighthouses marking the deepest path out into the Haunted Mere. Built before contact was lost with the Old World to guide vessels in, they now serve as cold reminders of what was lost, signaling only to fishing vessels desperate enough to harvest out in the open sea. 

Trash Lands

It's shit. Absolute garbage. The area lacks topsoil and the land is mostly baked clay mixed with salt. What flora does grow there regrets it, what fauna there is no longer fears hell. Rain hardly bothers to fall, and what does is damn near undrinkable, unless collected before reaching the ground. Yet, still, some damn fools attempt to live out here.  

Sallow Tower

The first time magic was outlawed in Werberth, those magic users of lesser status and financial influence couldn't flaunt their presence the way the Well-Too-Dos could. Funny how laws apply to you if you're not an oligarch. Without financial based protection, the lower class magic users had to use distance for protection. Eventually, they came to the Trash Lands and called it "good enough." Soon, a Tower was established, though lacking the refinery of the Arcanum college.   

K

I wonder what the hell this is. 

Missing Mountain

It looks like there should be a mountain here. And there should be. Just there's not. There's a rim, a crater, and huge boulders of bedrock - about a mountain's worth - but no artifacts of an impact or implosion. How do you lose a mountain?

The Forgotten Colliery

Way out in the middle of the windswept, featureless hell impossibly ancient buildings, preserved by the salt and dryness, encircle a shaft reaching miles into the earth to a coal vein. Is the coal vein actually a  desiccated black pudding leviathan? Most likely. Is the coal mine full of ancient machines and forgotten corpses? Definitely. Are the corpses infected by something down there and altered into Coalwights? No. They were already like that. 

Caustic Sea

An inland sea filled with alkaline waters that burns the skin and eyes of any creature not adapted for the environment. I could prattle on about sodium carbonate, but I don't know what that is. Should you choose to sail on it, be aware of the Colossal Salt Crabs and big, fuck-all Squids. 

The Forbidden Charterhouse

IT IS FORBIDDEN. A monetary full of evil clerics fully prepared to teach their evil ways to anyone willing to brave the Caustic Sea. What evil plans are afoot? What forbidden knowledge is to be gained? Is there a difference between clerics and warlocks, other than PR? FORBIDDEN. 

Spoiled Champaign

Someone take this damn thesaurus away from me. An open countryside spanning from the Flooding Tidewater to the Caustic Sea, marred by ancient trenches and pockmarked by artillery craters. Forgotten embattlements from a war with no human participants are being reclaimed by murderous vegetation.  

The Golden Arcology

It's actually made of brass. A mysterious spherical structure of impossibly large size with few outer features, save for shallow window like structures and multiple communication antennae (not that the humans know what these are). Unbeknown to the outside world, the inside is VASTLY larger than the outside, time moves differently within, and the structure is a pleasure dome the elves retreated into to escape the horrors they had created outside.   

Shadow Chateau

At some point some foolish entrepreneur set out into the "empty" wilderness to claim land for growing the last of the grape wine seeds smuggled over from the Old World. Trouble is, the land they claimed was, and still is, haunted. On moonless nights, wights of creatures not exactly human roam the vineyard rows, reliving their final horrific moments. Strangely, this seems to have improved the taste. That or the land soaked in elf blood and chemical weapons that the grapes are grown in. Either way, the family still tends the land, and produce a rather successful wine, widely sought after for it's side effect of bestowing Other Sight for a short while. 

The Gatorlands

Hell, yeah, brother, you're in the Gatorlands now! Swamps as far as you care to roam and not a damn lawman in sight. Some big damn gators though, and cat fish nearly larger than the fan boats you need to get through the place. It certainly don't help that an alchemist once tried brewing what we'd call methamphetamine, only to end up spilling a large portion of it into the swamps. Now them big damn gators gots big damn attitudes and no dang old fear. 

 

Flooded Temple

An ancient step pyramid rises from the murky waters of the mangrove forest, crumbling steps leading up to a temple adorned with murals depicting a night sky with twin moons. There's only ever been the one, though. In the center of the room, a circular stair case descends back down into the pyramid, soon leading to vast flooded sections and an ominous stirring in the water. 

Bogtown

ARRR! What ye be having there, lad? Be it meth? ....can it be? A town built entirely on stilts breaks up the constant fog and Spanish moss laden trees. A town untouched by the law of Werberth, but soaked with strange alchemical agents, as alchemists of ill repute come to apply their trade. Drugs, gambling, whoring, light to mild piracy - all can be found in and around the waters of Bogtown. 

Crypt of the Gatorlords

Is "Gatorlords" one word, or two? I can't read my own handwriting. Either way, a gigantic red rock inselberg pierces the surrounding swamp, surprising any oblivious traveler. On the eastern side of this iron rich monolith a door has been carved by crafty hands, long ago. Large statues of seated figures with alligator heads adorn either side of the open doorway, guarding entry deeper into the temple complex. What secrets lie within, forgotten by time itself? Oh, uh, Gatorlord mysteries. Specifically their crypt. 

Closing

Is this anything? Again, I don't know. I might come back to it when writer's block hits, as it's want to do. I do know I spent much more time on it than expected.  

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//GLoG/Setting/USSR

The original intent for the setting description was to work west around the world, just to keep it orderly. Ennui and has decided I'll jump ahead a few time zones. 

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

For stretch of time, things were looking rough for the USSR, having grown stagnant in Stalin's state capitalism. However, in the early 1990's the failed August Coup reignited the flame of communism in the hearts and minds of the populous. Under the leadership of Gorbachev, and later Putin, the country took additional leaps towards communism. 

While the Cold War ended after the Collapse, the war of Capitalism vs Communism continues between the USSR and the Major Corporations, as a proxy war rages in South America through the corporation backed Contras. 

With the Space Race won by default (though, admitted surpassed by Japan after the race was over), the Republics were the first to have a permanent space station in Earth's orbit (Cosmograd), on the moon (Lunagrad) and just recently on Mars (Perungrad). 

The Sights

Constructivist architecture remains popular, along with Socialist Classicism

Socialist realism statues and monuments can be found in most public spaces, glorifying the triumph of the proletariat. 

Monolithic housing blocks ensure no comrade is left homeless. 

House of the Soviets, once the world's tallest building (now second to Tokyo Skytree superstrate), beams nightly fan fair into the Russian night sky.

KGB cameras are not seen, despite what Western propaganda will have you believe. They are better hidden than that. 

The Sounds

Sovietwave and Russian Surf echo from the discotheques.  

Vladimir Vysotsky and Tsvety can still be heard on radio stations. 

The steady hum of industry and prosperity fill the work days. 

The Internationale can be heard sung in factories at the start of shifts. 

The Smells

Papirosy, strong cardboard tipped cigarettes, are smoked everywhere. 

Grease and burning smells hang in the air around factory towns. 

Alcohol is on everyone's breath. 

Camomile and Carnation aromas fill the air in town centers, as the two flowers have grown popularity. 

The Tastes

Alcoholic drinks are common in day to day life. Anything under 6% is classified as a "soft drink"

Gregorian and Estonian cuisines have gained in popularity as of late. 

The KGB has noted Soviet citizens have a significantly healthier diet than those of the former USA. 

The Touches

Cold, cruel, and crushing winters. 

Warm and mild summers. 

Stiff and itchy canvas is used to make the mass produced popular work shirt.  

In the News: 

They've recently annexed Afghanistan, to which Iran takes a paranoid view of, and are currently in a land dispute with Maoist China over Mongolia. 

There's also some trouble from nationalists in eastern Europe. The Iron Curtain has become a hotbed of terrorist activities, to the point of bullets becoming a secondary currency. 

Not in the News: 

Multiple ZATOs (closed administrative-territorial formations; "closed cities") are active, mostly dealing with nuclear or alternate energy research, naval/air force administration, and cosmodromes. There are some less boring ZATOs in operation, however:  

• Majak (City 40) - Focuses on research into and using "strange matter"
• Uglegorsk - Serves as the cosmodrome managing terrestrial side operations for the Hinderland station. 
• Gorky - Mass production of the nuclear capable KM ekranoplan
• Mailbox #4276 - Secure facility in Mezhgorye performing research in theoretical quantum realms and entanglement. 
• Krasnoyarsk 26 - Researches ancient viruses discovered in the ever thawing tundra. 

It's also been rumored the USSR has provided nuclear missiles to the Republic of Cuba. Detection and confirmation by outside observers has been made difficult due to background radiation from wide spread contamination after some jackass thought it was a good idea to nuke a hurricane. 

New Class

People's Champion

For each template gain +1 Save against Fear. 

A. Inspiration, Turn Bourgeoisie 
B. Internationale

C. Neither Gods Nor Caesars

D. Nothing to Lose But Your Chains

Inspiration

The Champion doesn't get this ability, so much as the team gets the ability. This is a pool of points equal to 1 per People's Champion template in the team, and usable on various things (listed below) by anyone on the team. To activate, the player using the point must inspire the target in someway. I'm primarily picturing a short uplifting speech, but if you can figure another way, I ain't gonna stop you. Ways to refill the pool are also listed below. 

Uses:

• Restore 1d6 HP to the target
• Give a +4 to a single test or save. (Traditional assisting only provides +2) 

Restoration:

• Champion successfully assists someone
• Champion takes time to repair gear rather than simply purchase new item
• Champion shows solidarity with the common man at a detriment to themselves. 

Turn Bourgeoisie

When confronted by the Bourgeoisie or one of their dogs (CEOs, cops), you may speak words of revolution (and spend a Conviction point), then roll 2d6, consulting the chart above. If you roll under the number (meet is beat) the target is turned. A "T" means the target is automatically turned, "D" means the target is destroyed, and "-" means automatic failure. In cases of dual numbers (ex 11/5), the first number is for turned, the second is for destroyed. Turned targets flee the area for 1d6 rounds. Destroyed targets leave the area for good and rethink the choices they made that lead them to this point. 

Internationale

When meeting members of the Proletariat, reaction rolls are made at a +4. 

Neither Gods Nor Caesers

Adjacent allies may use your Save vs Fear in replace of their own. 

Nothing to Lose But Your Chains

Once per session, by given a grandstanding, uplifting speech, you can give a free Command (as per the traditional spell) to the audience with no Save. 

Variant: Posadist

A. Inspiration, Talk to Dolphin
B. Internationale

C. Neither Gods Nor Caesars

D. Nuclear Football

Talk to Dolphin

You're able to communicate with dolphins, without any additional tools. They are comrades, after all. 

Nuclear Football

You have a miniature nuke in a suitcase. It takes up 2 slots and possibly has a faulty timer. What you do with it is up to you. I certainly ain't gonna hassle the person with a nuclear device. 

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