Shortly August begins. named after that arch-politician Augustus Caesar. Not that we follow themes too closely here, but we will being looking as personalities and persons this month. If there is something you want to see, write a comment or post in the Sea of Stars forum.
I will be at GenCon this year, once again GMing the Legend of the Five Rings RPG for AEG.
July, 2013, saw the following articles here (and included my 1,000th post!):
Make sure your hard worker has the perfect lunch they are craving.
“I am never unhappy with my packed lunch, it is always what I want!” J. Windeagle, High Iron Worker
Marion’s Perfect Lunch Pail makes sure that the lunch they want in the lunch they get and that no one else can steal it.
“It is so easy to use.” M. Holden, Householder
Marion’s Perfect Lunch Pail available exclusively at SorceriCo!
Marion’s Perfect Lunch Pail
These items are apparently simple tin lunch pails usually personalized with the owner’s name painted on them. But they are almost indestructible and they will only open for the person who packed the lunch and for the person the lunch is packed for (and for them, only during lunch time, no snacking!). The food inside is guaranteed to be what the person wants for lunch, mostly, and perfectly edible.
Shadowrun Seattle: 2069
It is 2069, the so-called Sixth World, an era where technology and magic clash while megacorporations via with nation states for power; everything is up for grabs and everyone is looking for their main chance.
In the shadows of the Seattle Metroplex criminal shadowrunners seek a piece of the action, acting as cat’s paws for the major players as they tear at each other. Treachery and backstabs are common as everyone tries to climb the ladder. Those who are successful -and lucky- can make it big, the unlucky end up as spare parts.
Will this be your big break or your last hurrah?
Setting: Classic Shadowrun in Seattle, 2069, occasionally with ventures outside.
• Continuity: Linked episodic, some metaplot.
• Rating: PG/PG13.
• Style: Caper/Adventure with a side of investigation and problem solving.
• Tone: Grey with occasional venture into the dark side of things.
Rules: Shadowrun, mixed 4th and 5th Edition, call it the 2069 edition.
• No skill limits or accuracy.
• Combat as per 5th except as noted above.
• Matrix and Magic as per 5th.
• Edge recovery as per 5th with possibly bolting on Aspects at some point.
• Karma as per 5th except Knowledge specializations only cost 3.
• Other changes are likely.
Characters: People who are in the shadows, willingly or unwillingly.
• Character creation using either system, if using 5th build at Street Level and gain 3 additional points of knowledge skills.
• Build characters who are willing to be part of the team.
Notes: With the release of the 5th edition rules, thought I should formalize the campaign frame just for everyone’s reference.
Last night, having finished the cast, we finally sat down to play the Pacific Star one-shot using Fate Accelerated.
The scene open in media res with Sun Chan, Dr. Alabaster Oxford, Hamish Sinclair and the Old Man aboard a hurtling train under attack from three light biplane bombers, Sun Chan throwing open the window to blaze away at them with her chromed .45 pistol. Cut to: the ‘Piggy’ (a PBY flying boat) spewing smoke from her port engine as Trixie banks the plane in a hard left as Lefty and Dr. Philmore Cornelius react to the ambush by two biplane fighters.
Roll opening credits with a jazzy soundtrack and then cut to The Monastery of the Serene Way, eight hours earlier. Read the rest of this entry ?
The current cast for the Noir Revolurion – Pacific Star campaign is:
Sun Chan “Number 1 Sun”, up and coming Chinese gangster and ally of Pacific Star, Taoist gunslinger and smooth operator. (Played by L)
Dr. Philmore Cornelius, academic and master of meteorological magic. His by the book personality conceals a sharp mind. (Played by H)
Joseph E “Lefty” Marrone, Ace mechanic aboard the ‘Piggy‘ with a mechanical arm. (Played by T2)
Dr. Alabaster Oxford, PhD. D.D. possibly the smartest man in the world and never one to allow moral concepts to stand in the way of science. (Played by M)
Hamish Sinclair, acquisitions specialist for Pacifc Star Import-Export. 30ish, clean cut and well-dressed. His brogue and red-brown hair betray his family’s roots in the high-lands of Scotland, although he always wears his trademark 3-piece suit, and walks with a jade-inlaid cane (which conceals a lightning projector). (Played by J)
Beatrice “Trixie” Washbourne, high flying daughter of a rum runner and pilot of the ‘Piggy’, a modified PBY prototype acquired by Pacific Star for her. (Played by T1)
“Old Man”, former martial artist now curio shop owner, sells to Pacific Star and occasional works as an interpreter. (Played by Z)
You can find photos for some of the cast, Shanghai in the 1930s, the ‘Piggy‘ and more on the Noir Revolution – Pacific Star pinterest board.
The first (and so far only) episode is here.
“I do not want to die, sorcerer. You are the finest artificer in the Three Realms, make me something that will keep death from me,” said Avinlac, Duke of Calivily.
“It can be done, your grace,” said the masked sorcerer Valisk, “but there will be a price.”
“Name it, sorcerer, my vaults are full of silver and gold.”
“It may not be a price that can be paid in gold,” said the sorcerer, its voice just above a whisper.
Hungry Heart
These amulets are made for those who fear death most of all, they comprise a heart-shaped piece of metalwork marked with minute runes and sigila and set with a red gem. The process forging and creating a Hungry Heart is difficult and is said to involve dark applications of the arcane arts. The creation and possession of such items are often banned in lands aware of their existence.
Shadowrun Core Rulebook, Fifth Edition, which is the newest version of that classic game system. Like all new editions it has changes, some which are improvements and others which may or may not be but without a doubt it is a well laid out and pretty to look at. If you are a fan of Shadowrun, it is definitely worth taking a look at the latest version of the core rules.
Actually, we have run three games since the last campaign report, two with the usual crew and one as a filler game with one of my other groups. Two of those mission were unsuccessful but did not end up with any of the characters killed or arrested, leading to some potential complications in the future with Horizon corporation and the Cyberpunks gang, but time will tell how those play out. While the aftermath from the successful mission hinges on playing Shadowrun with my other group again (but involve a subgroup within Renraku).
So, the Seattle Scream jumps forward a few months and incorporates the change over from Lone Star to Knight Errant as the security provider for Seattle. You can read all about it here: Seattle Scream 41.
Lastly, the PDF for Shadowrun 5 has released. Still reading and digesting and I hope to have a review up soon but certainly not converting over wholesale but I like some of the ideas, not sold on other though . . .
Sayaril shut the door to the secret room in his country home, making sure that the tapestry covered the concealed opening, as usual, a sense of well being enveloped him immediately after he visited his hidden heart, as it always did.
But for now, he must resume his role, taking his place as one of the usurper’s men until the whole rotten edifice could be pulled down. When that day came, he could be his true self again but until then . . .
Hidden Heart
These unusual items comprise two parts, a gemstone and a box. The gem must be undamaged and are the size of a marble and the box can be as ornate or as plain as desired, but the interior is always marked with a protective wards and sigila. They are prized by spies, infiltrators and double agents.
Noir Revolution – Pacific Star
It is 1935 but not as you know it. Magic rolled back into the world in a big way in 1929 causing the Stock Market to crash and ushering in the Great Depression. Prohibition is over but the Mafia is still powerful. Nazi scientists and brave archaeologists hunt occult artefacts. The scientists of Tesladyne create electrically powered wonders. Difference engines of the Imperial Babbage company crack complex mathematical problems and aid complex production lines. While Zeppelins span the globe.
It is an era of change and an era of looming conflict . . . One that Pacific Star Import/Export intend to take advantage of.
Setting: The pulp 1930s by way of Shadowrun. The game is simulating a TriV show within the Shadowrun universe.
Read the rest of this entry ?
You are currently browsing the Sea of Stars RPG Design Journal blog archives for July, 2013.
Sea of Stars RPG Design Journal 