Gamma Red Death World: Image Overload

What survivors might see on a journey...

 

Gamma Red Death World: FLAILSNAILS on G+

Character creation document available here.

INTRODUCTION

Everyone thought the Martians had died. In a sense they had. 

But they left behind seeds that grew into even more horrible monsters and caused waves of genetic mutations. It seemed the Earth would be overgrown by this new alien ecosystem.

Humans with knowledge of ancient magic and weird science desperately tried to use the salvaged Martian technologies to  fight back this new threat.

Legends from every culture throughout the ages say there is another world.

An alternate world that is connected to Earth like a shadow.

A hidden realm made from the stuff of dreams and nightmares.

Most of the paths and gates to this world have been obscured or locked for millennia.

Now strange magic and arcane energies unleashed on Earth have spoiled  and eroded many forgotten portals to this mystic world.

Creatures thought to exist only in folklore are stepping through...

Gamma Red Death World is a game set on Earth in the late 1800's after an alien invasion. It uses Labyrinth Lord and Mutant Future as the core rules.

The main reason being the game will be available for FLAILSNAILS crossover play on Google+. 

Another great reason is the fact that these games are available as free pdf downloads on Goblinoid Games website:

Labyrinth Lord PDF

Mutant Future PDF

CHARACTER CREATION

STEP ONE - Abilities

Roll 3d6 for each ability and write them down in the order rolled.

STEP TWO - Character Class

Pick a character class.

Humans

Cleric (LL pg. 8)

Fighter (LL pg. 11)

Magic-User (LL pg. 12)

Mutant (MF pg. 14)

Thief (LL pg. 12)

Non-Humans

Basic Android (MF pg. 12)

Dwarf (LL pg. 10)

Elf (LL pg. 10)

Halfling (LL pg. 11)

Mutant Animal (MF pg. 13)

Mutant Plant (MF pg. 13)

STEP THREE - Skills

Refer to the skill lists at the bottom of this post.
All characters roll two random General skills, then choose an additional General skill.

Clerics, Magic-Users, Androids, Dwarves and Elves also get to roll one random Scholar skill, then choose one additional Scholar skill.

Any character may trade two General skills to choose one Scholar skill.

Skills can only be rolled or chosen once. Re-roll duplicates.

STEP FOUR - Saving Throws

Record Saving Throws.

All characters use Wisdom as Willpower for mental combat.

STEP FIVE - Power Points

Choose spells or roll for mutations as appropriate for character class.
The following rules replace the normal rules for spell memorization and mutation use:

Power Throws 
Classes with powers, spells, mutations or psionics have a new score called power points, based on one of their attributes.

Cleric Points = WIS
Magic Points = INT
Mutant Points (Physical Mutations)  = CON
Psionic Points (Mental Mutations) = CHA

When using a spell, mutation or psionic, roll a power throw with 2d10.

Success: If the power throw is equal to or less than current power points then the power works as written in the rules. Subtract 1 point from power points.

Failure: If the power throw is greater than current power points then power fails to work. Subtract 2 points from power points.

Backfire: If current power points are 8 or less, each time a power throw fails something bad happens.

Characters recover 1d4 power points per level every 12 hours.
Total power points cannot be greater than the ability score they are based upon.

STEP SIX - Hit Points

All first level characters roll Hit Points for their class and add their full Constitution score.
Any Constitution score modifiers to Hit Points are not factored in to this initial roll.
At each subsequent level characters roll additional Hit Points as usual for their class, including Constitution modifiers.

STEP SEVEN - Starting Funds

All characters roll 3d8x10 for starting gold pieces with which to buy equipment.

SKILLS

Back to the Basic Set and Weird Science Fantasy

I really want to play something easy. This idea uses the Basic Set, Gamma World 1st edition and a few good ideas swiped from other blogs.

Here's the big idea: The gods are actually aliens. Some call them the Shapers. They are responsible for mutations, introducing technology, clerical magic and anything else I can't think of right now.
This world is like an experiment or even a game to the Shapers.
Any other details are developed as I go along.

Character Classes:

CLERIC: Combining ideas swiped from Alternate Science Cleric for OSR D&D at Strange Magic and
Six Gods of Mangalla at Jeff's Game Blog.
Clerics are humans who have been abducted by the Shapers and altered for mysterious purposes.
They have strange implants that grant them their cleric abilities and spells. Most of the implants look like jeweled diadems or bracelets and small metallic plates and cables embedded in the skin.

DWARF: As per Basic Set.

ELF: As per Basic Set.

FIGHTER: As per Basic Set.

HALFLING: As per Basic Set.

HUMANOID: As per Gamma World.

MAGIC-USER: As per Basic Set.

MUSKETEER: Swiped from Beyond the Black Gate.

MUTANT ANIMAL: As per Gamma World.

ROBOT: Renamed from the Warforged adaption at The Grumpy Old Troll.

THIEF: As per Basic Set.

WITCH HUNTER: Taken from B/X Blackrazor.

~ end transmission ~

Crazy Five Game Pileup

I swear I thought of doing this before I read about the Half Baked Adventure Idea on Tim Brannan's Other Side blog. I just wanted to make clear I'm not trying to rip off his cool idea, although mine is very similar.

It's based on the idea that the theme and execution of a campaign are more important than the rules system. The DM can lift anything from any rule system and apply it to their game. The very heart of the DIY RPG concept. This may be correct or not. Mileage may vary.
I'm not even sure if I'm up to this. It may just be a thought experiment.

The goal is to have a game that simulates a kind of mix between Hellboy and Steampunk flavors.
It uses five different games from 1st to 5th editions.
Here are the games.

1. Danger Quest. Using this for the random character backgrounds.
2. Villains and Vigilantes 2nd edition. Random super powers.
3. D&D 3rd edition. Fantasy races and spell lists.
4. Gamma World 4th edition. mutant animals and mutations.
5. Call of Cthulhu 5th edition. Using this for the core rule system and the Wild West Cthulhu rules from Worlds of Cthulhu magazine #2.
Link to Wild West Cthulhu Character Sheet PDF

Okay, all this sounds really crazy and maybe stupid to some. But instead of trying to do direct mathematical conversions between systems, I'm just using the ideas to influence the Basic Role Play game.
Or I might just go insane. Either way, fun stuff!
More later...

Just an Update

On Mutants and Magic
Unfortunately I'm going to put the Mutants and Magic developement on hold. Sort of.
My work schedule is just too crazy and I'm going to have to play something easier to work with.
Some day I will get back to it in some form, probably just going back to first edition AD&D and using exactly what Gygax wrote.
For now, I think I'm going to use the same general idea for the setting with Villains and Vigilantes.

At first I was concerned because almost every blog I follow is mainly about some edition of D&D or other old school games.
But then I thought, I have to do what I have to do in order to play something.
Villains and Vigilantes is "old school", right?
I know there are other gamers who enjoy super hero games and comic books in general.

On Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
I've always liked the 40k background. I have a ton of the miniatures and another ton from other games as well.
I have Warhammer 40k first through fourth edition. I also have Dark Heresy, Inquisitor and Necromunda.
The funny thing is, I've only played Warhammer maybe three times in my life. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm the same way with role playing games. I collect them but rarely play anything. I need to do something about that.

Anyway, while thinking about the whole "not enough time, need something easy to play" thing mentioned earlier I was looking at my copy of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
It was in really sad shape. The binding had seperated from the boards and there were pages falling out everywhere. I don't know how many hours I have spent reading through this book just for sheer entertainment.
How had I let it fall to this state of disrepair?

Yet not all hope was lost. I used some super sticky packing tape, the kind with threads running through it, and bound the pages back together at their spine. Then I carefully taped that body of pages back into the boards and reinforced the outer spine.
And the tome was made whole again. Praise the Emporer!
I'm not sure how long this repair will last or what the glue on the tape might do to the paper, but the fix is holding for now.

On Funny Little Figures



Adaptes Arbites. Think Judge Dredd...IN SPAAAAACE!

Imperial Army Commisar figure converted into an Arbites Marshal.

Zombies and other random bits converted into arco-flagellants.

Mutants and Magic: Getting Started

GOALS and PHILOSOPHY
Goal one is to keep it fun, of course. As an homage to ideas put forth in the first edition DM Guide, I'm hardly breaking new ground here.
Goal two is to keep it simple. So as long as anything I reorganize and combine is still playable I'll be satisfied.

As for philosophy, I working from the point of view that every rule is mutable. Things may get changed, removed or added. That is the beauty of these games. If a Dungeon Master doesn't like a particular bit of rules, they can change it.
And so it goes with these ideas. Expand, alter or eradicate any part as you will.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY

Gamma World fourth edition and Masque of the Red Death

Imagine an Appendix N, an inspirational bibliography, based on the works of authors such as Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley and others writing in the early science fiction, horror and fantasy fields.
The genres weren't even that well defined yet, I know.
The spirit and will of mankind against weird menaces of the unknown.

Gamma World is one of my favorite games. It's simple rules and the post apocalyptic struggle to survive in a world gone mad just hit a sweet spot.

Masque of the Red Death is a set that seems to get overlooked, in my opinion.
It reminds me of the old Hammer horror movies I enjoyed growing up.
For the purposes of this project it will stand in for Boot Hill.
These two games will form the core of the setting.

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition

Legends from every culture throughout the ages say there is another world. A hidden realm made from the stuff of dreams...and nightmares.

Most of the paths and gates to this world have been obscured or locked for millennia. Now strange magics on Earth have spoiled  and eroded open many portals to this mystic world.

Elves, dwarves and other beings of myth and fable have come through to find Earth, which they claim is their ancient home, infected by an alien abomination.
And many hold mankind responsible for what has happened.

Danger Quest and OGL Steampunk

I'm also using a few ideas about character backgrounds and occupations from these games.

Danger Quest by Torchlight Games is all about weird pulp adventures in the distant future.
OGL Steampunk by Mongoose Publishing is about, well, steampunk.

You will also need pencils, paper and polyhedral dice which you may find at the store which you bought your games.

NEXT TIME: How to Play a Role Playing Game.

(just kidding)

Mutants and Magic: Introduction

I'm taking the conversion notes for Boot Hill and Gamma World in the first edition Dungeon Master Guide and using them as general guidelines in 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons.
Instead of having characters transported from one campaign to another, the background will allow races and classes to be created based on a single background world.
My initial idea is to set the timeline after a War of the Worlds type invasion.
Everyone thought the Martians had died. In a sense they had.
But what they left behind were actually seeds that grew into even more horrible monsters and caused waves of genetic mutations. It seemed the Earth would be overgrown by these new alien ecosystems.

Humans with knowledge of ancient magics and scientific visionaries desperately try to use the salvaged Martian technologies to  fight back this new threat.
Meanwhile an invasion of another kind is taking place. The weird experiments have weakened the barriers between Earth and another dimension.
An alternate world that is connected to Earth like a shadow. Creatures thought to exist only in folklore and fairytales are stepping through.
Elves, dwarves, gnomes and others claim to be the true keepers of the Earth.
Are they here to defend or conquer?

                                 WILL YOU SURVIVE?