Tomorrow begins October, the eighth month (naturally) of the Roman Calendar. It seems the Romans had no special association for October beyond Autumn, but we have Halloween! So the theme on the Sea of Stars Design Journal for this month will be Monsters and Monstrous Things!
If you have ideas for a Monster you wish to see, let me know and I will try to make it happen.
Have a safe Autumn all.
September, 2020, saw the following posts here:
Shadowrun: Slip Streams is very much a book for Games Masters, lots of information, lots of adventure seeds, all expanding on the effects that magic is having on the world. If the magic side of Shadowrun story is your jam, this is the book for you. Otherwise, it is an interesting read and there are no lack of adventure ideas that it throws off. For players, the in game information is a fun read and the new character option is intriguing but not for all campaigns, talk with your GM first.
Shadowrun: Slip Streams, is a Plot Sourcebook for Shadowrun, Sixth World Edition, expanding on the magical situation across the world but with a focus on events affecting North America.
As is expected, it begins with a brief introduction and a glossary of terms related to astral space, this is very handy and important to what follows. Then the requisite fiction section before the meat of the product begins.
In the weeks following Issue 3:
Cover: Each of the characters in their own section, Vulpix on her penthouse balcony, Roboto arm wresting Sgt Steel, Horizon by a hospital bed, 808 poring over photographs of UFOs and Shadowfist talking with a shadowy figure on a rooftop.
Opening page: Vulpix and her uncle looking over photos of the team and others superheroes spread out on a table, Mission: Impossible style.
Next page: Vulpix has approached her Uncle, who is the costumed le Renard Noir, to improve her training regime and to learn how to lead the team more effectively. He agrees to work with her on such, including access to the family’s achieves of working with paranormals across the years and reminds Vulpix that her cousin, Jacque, stands ready to aid her as an assistant should she wish. She demurs the offer of her cousin’s help, not feeling enough of a hero to take on the responsibility of a sidekick yet, but throws herself into training and study. So a page of scenes of her doing physical training, reading books, watching films of past superteams and finally collapsing into bed.
Shadowrun continues to be played via the wonders of the proto-Matrix (supported by Tyche’s Games our local game store). It makes an adequate replacement for play around the table and we are playing about every three weeks rather than monthly, so there is that.
Still happily playing the Sixth World Edition of Shadowrun though have added add some minor house rules to match our play style. Still need to work out a better way to represent gaining edge, around a table I can just toss a chip to the player, online, it is a bit trickier. But that is a minor issue. New players do not seem to have any problem picking up how the game works, though the multitudes of edge options is a little overwhelming.
To support that ongoing campaign, we have a new scream sheet: Seattle Scream 67, the corporate buyout is a indirect result related to one of adventures.
“I hate executions,” said Gollaon. “Even when deserved, they are unpleasant to watch.”
“Take it up with our charge’s mother, she seems to think it is good for youth to see the result of such justice,” replied Voddick. “Though in general I agree with you. While justice must be done, and be seen to be done, there is no reason to make such a spectacle out of it.”
“Some just take delight in the misfortune and suffering of others.”
“The only good thing I can say about the the whole thing is that they are serving beer.”
Ghost Sealing Shroud
These shrouds are made of lead beaten into a thin sheet and marked with wards and protective sigils along the edges, until it is placed over the head of an unresisting or completely bound human-like creature, then it binds to the creature until it is killed or it is forcibly removed. Once the being is killed hardens like poured wax until pulled away and even then it remain stiff until the spirit inside is removed. Originally designed for the noble purpose of catching the spirits on murders when they were executed to prevent them from becoming vengeful spirits some have turned them to a less enlightened purpose.
Now we move into September (and hopefully some cooler weather here in Georgia, USA), the seventh month of the Roman calendar. September does not seem to have any particular ties to myth or tradition among the Romans, however, as Seven is usually viewed as a magical number, magic and spells will be the theme for this month. Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see.
Due to the situation, we will not be going on our usual trip up to visit my mother and Washington, DC, this year. Much sadness. But I will try and use the extra time to get some ideas finished for the journal.
August, 2020, saw the following posts here:
Shadowrun: Krime Katalog is an Equipment Book for Shadowrun, for both the 5th and 6th World editions, detailing the new offering from Krime! Mostly weapons and weaponry support but now with vehicles too! Krime always verges on the too silly for my tastes but the book has a lot of interesting equipment and ideas in it, so it is still quite useful even if you strip away the trapping of the Krime and players always like new weapons and vehicles to play with.
Shadowrun: Krime Katalog, is an Equipment Book for Shadowrun, Fifth and Sixth World Editions, having mechanics and statistics for both. Providing weapons and beyond from the company Krime that specializes in weapons and equipment for larger metahumans.
It begins with an introduction to the Krime Corporation which may or may not been started by former Shadowrunners and their meteoric rise to success as providers of weaponry scaled to orks and trolls, with the implication of some shady business deals and a lot of luck propelled them to their initial success.
Then, the new weapons, Read the rest of this entry ?
Part two following directly from Part One:
Opening page of Part Two: The cockpit of a B-52 somewhere above Alaska. “We are go. I hope this is just a drill.”
Next page: The team as steel plates slam down and seal off the building. “You have forced me to accelerate my plans,” echos the voice of Computo through the room.
“What are you doing?”
“It is time for the age of the computer to begin, within fifteen minutes, a global nuclear war will begin and the age of humanity will end,” announces Computo.
August, named after the Roman first citizen (or Emperor if you prefer) Augustus Caesar, will be a month of personalities from the Sea of Stars (and possibly other places). If there is someone -or something– in particular you would like to see, write a comment or otherwise let me know.
I am really missing GenCon, I know GenCon Online is going on but it is just not the same though I wish it well and hope that everyone has a great time. Honestly, missing face to face gaming and interaction overall.
July, 2020, saw the following posts published in the journal:
Shadowrun: Shadow Stock – Ingentis Athletes provides ten non-player characters, all trolls, sharing a sports theme and information on the troll meta-variants (cyclops, formorians, giants, and minotaurs). More useful for Game Masters than players, it would have been supported by providing more context for the role of trolls in sport in the Sixth World and a few examples of shadowruns where sports were directly (or indirectly) involved.
Shadowrun: Shadow Stock – Ingentis Athletes, is the first of the Shadow Stock resources for Shadowrun, Sixth World Edition, providing NPCs organized around a theme and new character options, trying to be something for everyone.
It begins with a brief in game introduction which boils down to “here are a bunch of athletes and ex-athletes who are operating in the shadows.” Then on to the characters!
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