Enter the Stargate, if You Dare!

I watched the original Stargate movie in the theatre back in 1994. At the time, I characterized it as “Power Rangers for adults”…which is not to say that I thought it was bad, but that there is a certain flash to the effects, and a lack of grit to the story that reminded me of my son’s (then current) obsession with the Power Rangers. I dismissed it early, and never watched the television series, which I understand has a somewhat different continuity.

I rewatched it to create this blog post, and my opinions have changed somewhat. The plot is still lacking in grit. The protagonists have things far too easy in the film. The effects are far too clean…like prequel Star Wars compared to the grittier, used-universe feel of the original trilogy. And, time having passed, it looked very much like “John Denver’s clone travels to another world”.

On the other hand, there is a lot of potential here for gaming. Although much of what follows is based on the extended version of the Stargate film, I have delved a little into the spin-off series via Wikipedia and the Internet in general. Because I am not greatly familiar with the extended Stargate mythology, feel free to correct me, make changes for your own game, etc. – stuff you should feel free to do anyway!

(As a side note, since other things happened between re-watching and writing, I might still not be so great in this post, but it is an attempt!)

Stargates

These devices appear as large, circular rings of an unknown metal. Each requires seven tablets to be decoded in order to align properly (DC 18 Intelligence check per tablet; a retry is allowed each day for three days, then each week for three weeks, then each month for three months, and so on). When properly aligned, the symbols on the stargate allow a portal to open between the current stargate, and another stargate on another world. This second stargate opens only briefly, and must also be properly aligned to allow a return journey. Once a PC has decoded one series of tablets, it requires only a DC 10 Intelligence check to align the return stargate, as long as all tablets are available.

The Judge should not feel constrained to the locations used in the film, television, or novel series. A stargate can lead to any world or plane the Judge wishes. The stargate in the film led to an unnamed world ruled by Ra. Although there might have been more to it than seen in the film, it appeared to be a desert world with a definite Egyptian motif, which nonetheless managed to sustain a rather large population of human slaves. Ra took the ancestors of these slaves from Earth, so they are not native to Ra’s slave world.

The mere existence of the stargates suggests an obvious adventure possibility: One or more tablets must be recovered to open the stargate, either to pass through it initially or to return home thereafter. If this brings Perils of the Purple Planet to your mind, you’re not alone. I would not be surprised if Stargate was inspirational to some aspects of Harley Stroh’s masterpiece.

Domesticated Animal

The one creature we see which is, presumably, native to Ra’s slave world is a domesticated creature – strong, easily spooked, but apparently also reasonably friendly and loyal. It has a good sense of smell, apparently using it to find the sparse vegetation on the slave world, as well as the occasional chocolate bar travellers might be carrying.

This creature also gives us a good example of a really bad Luck check. When you burn too much Luck, ropes just kind of get wrapped around your ankle, and creatures sort of drag you through the sand for a while. Luckily, in this case, it was all subdual damage.

Domesticated animal from Ra’s slave world: Init +0; Atk bite +0 melee (1d4) or kick +1 melee (1d3); AC 12; HD 3d8+3; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP strong sense of smell; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +0; AL N.

Special Encounter: This creature is a stray, wearing a harness with a long, dangling rope. The first being who approaches it must succeed in a Luck check, or the creature is spooked, running away for 1d5+4 turns. Unless the approaching PC succeeds in a DC 10 Reflex save, the rope catches around his ankle, allowing the creature to drag him away. The sand causes 1d5 subdual damage for each turn of dragging. A PC rendered unconscious in this way awakes to the animal licking him in the face.

Troopers

Ra is protected and served by troopers wearing futuristic armour. Their animal-headed masks withdraw at will, disappearing completely into the body of the armour. Trooper armour has a +4 AC bonus, a –4 check penalty, and a d8 fumble die. This armour reduces movement by 5’.

Trooper weapons are treated as polearms with slashing blades (1d10), but they can also fire an energy beam up to 500’ (3d6). Once fired, these weapons need time to recharge – there is a 1 in 5 chance per round that the weapon is ready to fire again (i.e., 1 in 5 on the first round, 2 in 5 on the second round, etc.). If an attempt to fire the weapon is made before the recharge cycle is complete on the 5^th round, and the weapon is not recharged, nothing is accomplished apart from looking menacing.

NOTE: PCs may spend Luck to move the recharge die roll in their favour. For example, if John Denver fires a trooper weapon one round, and then tries to fire it again on the subsequent round, he rolls a die to see if it can fire. It comes up a “3”. By spending two points of Luck (3 – 2 = 1), he can shift that to a successful recharge.

Trooper: Init +0; Atk polearm +1 melee (1d10) or energy beam +3 ranged (3d6); AC 14; HD 1d6; MV 25’; Act 1d20; SP weapon recharge; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0; AL L.

It should be noted that Ra’s troopers are human. They are simply the most privileged slaves on a slave world. Both armour and weapons are powered by a unique, unnamed metal that has the ability to store and amplify power.

Air Support

Some of the troopers also fly cool-looking fighters, which are presumably capable of travelling in space as well as in the atmosphere. A half-way descent tactician would use these far more effectively than Ra. Ra uses them for the occasional strafing run and little else. Perhaps this is due to a limitation on Ra’s unique metal’s storage capacities…the Crawljammer stats below assume that this is the case.

Ra’s fighter: Init +3; Atk energy beams +3 ranged (2d6); AC 15; HD 5d10; MV 90’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2; Crit d8; Fumble d4; Composition: metal; Luck pool: 0.

Strafing Run: The sky is split by the scream of alien ships. They pulse beams of blue fire toward the people massed below, followed by panic, screams, and explosions.

Somehow, for all their destructiveness, the strafing runs seldom injure important characters. Each PC (and significant NPC) make a Luck check. On a failure, they take 2d6 damage from incidental shrapnel, trampling, etc. If an NPC has no Luck score, assume success 50% of the time. Background NPCs are not so fortunate – 3d8 of them are killed. The judge may modify the number killed depending upon circumstances.

Miracles and Wonders

Teleporters: Ra has mastered the use of teleporting machines. Each of these machines must have a terminal at both ends to function.

Resurrection: Ra has a machine that can resurrect the fallen. If recently slain (within 48 hours), the machine is 100% effective, and the subject suffers no ability score loss. Every day thereafter, there is a 5% reduction in the chance of a successful resurrection, and a +5% chance that a point is lost from a random ability score (not including Luck). If an ability point is lost, there is chance that another point is lost (base chance –10%). If that is lost, there is another chance (10% less than the previous) that another point is lost, and so on, until the chance reaches 0 or it is rolled without ability point loss.

Non-human characters have a –25% chance of resurrection, and a +25% chance of ability point loss if resurrection succeeds. Something about humans makes them easier for Ra’s machines to repair.

Nameless Metal: In its pure form, this may be used as a special material component in spells which capture or release energy. The caster gains a +1 bonus to the spell check for every ½ pound of the metal sacrificed for this purpose. Extracting this metal to a usable form for spellcasting requires an Intelligence-based DC 20 Skill check related to smelting, metallurgy, or smithcraft. Failure by 5 or more causes an explosion for 1d6 damage per ½ pound of metal, with a radius of 30’. Failure by 10 or more doubles both damage and radius. A natural “1” on a failed check triples the damage and radius.

Ra

Long ago, an alien from an unnamed species was dying, and searched the universe for the means to stave off death. Eventually, it came to Earth, where it became known to the Egyptians as the god, Ra. By possessing a human host, the alien was able to prolong life indefinitely. Although Ra now appears as a rather androgynous adolescent boy, when he is angry flashes of the possessing alien become visible – a dark-eyed creature similar in many ways to the classic “Close Encounters”-type aliens.

When Ra strikes a creature, there is a 1 in 3 chance that an energy discharge will cause an additional 1d6 damage and fling the creature back 3d6 feet. Any creature subject to this attack must roll a DC 10 Fort save or drop any held items, and a DC 15 Reflex save or be knocked prone.

Ra: Init +3; Atk unarmed strike +3 melee (1d5) or by weapon +5 melee; AC 13; HD 8d6; hp 30; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP energy discharge, regenerate 3 hp/round, damage reduction 5; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +10; AL L.

Goa'uld System Lords and Anubis Prime

In the movie, Ra was the last of a humanoid alien species, but in the television series he was one of the “Goa’uld System Lords” – a species of eel-like parasites from planet P3X-888, which could infest and possess humanoid hosts. Remorseless creatures bent on dominating others, the Goa’uld parasites could be encountered on many worlds. The most powerful of these creatures was known as Anubis. Anubis was so dangerous that even the other Goa'uld System Lords didn’t want him around.

I don’t have enough knowledge of the Stargate universe to even attempt to stat out the Goa’uld System Lords or Anubis. Anyone more knowledgeable than myself, who cares to take a crack at it in the comments section, is more than welcome to do so!

Crawling Under a Broken Moon #6

Best issue yet.

DCC meets Car Wars in the wasteland roadways of post-Apocalyptic Umerica. Evocative but simple rules for vehicles, chases, and vehicular combat. A class that definitely fits the setting well, and feels unique rather than tacked-on. Gang generator. 100 Road-side encounters from the excellent blog Elfmaids & Octopi. A perfect new monster with a built-in reason for the PCs to go looking for it.

This issue makes me want to write an adventure just to play with the new toys. It's that good.

Get it.

Stuff and Stuff

As some of you are aware, I broke my wrist, which has seriously hampered my output. That wasn't the only thing hampering my output; I haven't been firing on all cylinders for months before that. Things take their toll. I was just getting my mojo on when life stepped in....or, more accurately, when I slipped on the ice and fell.

On the Other Hand....

(....which would be my left....)

My mojo doesn't seem to have suffered from the break. Just my typing!

Goodman Games has a kickstarter for The Monster Alphabet by the Amazing Jobe Bitman (with Manly Michael Curtis). You will note the new printing of GM Gems as part of the kickstarter, with DCC rules conversion by Yours Truly.

Likewise, this Con season, if you happen to play in The Hypercube of Myt, I was given a chance to work on this super-funnel, and I hope you like it. The other creators are a whose-who of cool in the DCC world!

If you haven't picked up The Portsmouth Mermaid from Purple Duck Games yet, you should. I have a related creature submitted to Crawl #11, which I hope will make it into that issue. Also, I sent a critter to Crawling Under a Broken Moon which might find some use in your game. I devised it to help bridge The Mall Maul in CUaBM #3 with Anomalous Subsurface Environment.

Likewise, The Treasure Vaults of Zadabad is well worth the purchase. Wrath of the Frost Queen is a bit pricier as a pdf, but I enjoyed the adventure and had the opportunity to give the writer a small amount of input on presentation. Hopefully, at some point, Frost Queen will be available as a POD product, with a discount for those who already bought the pdf.

Oh, and for the sake of Mitra, pick up Mark Knights' free DCC adventure, The Serpent People of Skitterborne Swamp.

Now that my mojo is back, and I am typing slowly but steadily......

My goal is to make 2015 outperform 2013 for DCC content. Outperforming 2014 seems to easy a goal.

Your Reward for Reading Through This Maundering....

Unique Centaurs from the Aeliusian City-States:

Asbolus:  Init +3; Atk hooves +2 melee (1d4+1) and sword +4 melee (1d8+1) or bow +5 missile fire (1d6+1) or other weapon; AC 14; HD 4d8; hp 20; MV 50’; Act 2d20; SP poisonous blood, foresee future, curse, death throes; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; AL N.

Asbolus is a centaur gifted with the powers of prophesy. Most often, he divines portents through the flight of birds, but he will also cast stones or use the entrails of animals. When consulted, he may demand the body of a specific animal to answer a specific question, or to read a difficult future. He does not otherwise demand payment, although he only grants interviews to those he deems worthy – those who have achieved something of note, or who are at least 3^rd level.

Absolus’s blood is poisonous. He can dip his own arrows into his flesh (causing himself 1 point of damage per arrow) to create poisoned arrows (Fort DC 15, 1d5 Stamina damage, 1 point is permanent on a failed save). Contact with his blood is likewise hazardous, though the Fort save in this case is only DC 5 to avoid 1d3 Stamina damage. A Reflex save is needed to avoid splashed blood when making a successful melee attack (DC 10 + damage done). All in melee with Absolus must make this save, although anyone other than the attacker gains a +2 bonus on this save.

Asbolus can cast curse once per day, with a +6 spell check bonus.

If reduced to 0 hp, Asbolus does not immediately die, but can take any remaining actions in the current round, and then gains 1d5 d24 Action Dice on the next round, to use for attacks or to curse his slayer.

Aspect of Chiron:  Init +5; Atk hooves +4 melee (1d4+2) and sword +6 melee (1d8+2) or bow +7 missile fire (1d6+1) or other weapon; AC 16; HD 8d8; hp 40; MV 60’; Act 3d20; SP poisonous blood, spell use, curse, death throes, immortal; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8; AL L.

Known the oldest of the primordial centaurs, Chiron remembers many things from past ages of the Ancient Earth, but has little special knowledge of the current era. He is a clone-thing, grown in vats in the ruins of Daedalus, which somehow always comes to lair in the same spot. Each Aspect of Chiron only knows what he was born knowing, plus his own experiences, so that when one Aspect is slain, the next knows nothing of his predecessor’s life beyond the ruins or eventual death. Yet, if one Aspect is slain, another will arise in 1d5 months, making Chiron effectively immortal so long as the Vats of Daedalus endure.

Chiron is renowned as a healer, as a teacher of heroes, and as a magician. He can heal up to 3 HD each day, cure poison at will, allow any creature a Fort save to throw off a disease each day (DC 5 to 15, depending upon the disease), set bones so that the heal without ability score loss, and brew 1d7 potions of healing (1 HD) each month. A Lawful warrior or dwarf who studies with Chiron for three months can gain a one step increase in his Deed Die with a successful Luck check (one time only).

He can cast the following spells once per day, with no chance of disapproval, misfire, or corruption (+6 spell check):  animal summoning, comprehend languages, detect magic, read magic, locate object, consult spirit, blessing, second sight, banish, remove curse, and speak with the dead. in addition, Chiron can cast curse once per day, with a +10 bonus to the spell check.

Chiron’s blood is poisonous. He can dip his own arrows into his flesh (causing himself 1 point of damage per arrow) to create poisoned arrows (Fort DC 18, 1d7 Stamina damage, 1 point is permanent on a failed save). Contact with his blood is likewise hazardous, though the Fort save in this case is only DC 8 to avoid 1d5 Stamina damage. A Reflex save is needed to avoid splashed blood when making a successful melee attack (DC 10 + damage done). All in melee with Chiron must make this save, although anyone other than the attacker gains a +2 bonus on this save.

If reduced to 0 hp, Chiron does not immediately die, but can take any remaining actions in the current round, and then gains 1d5 d24 Action Dice on the next round, to use for attacks or to curse his slayer.

They Came to Umerica

Three weeks ago I picked up a new player via the Dungeon Crawl Classics World Tour 2014 program and running games at Fan Expo Toronto. Combines with some of my existing players expressing a wish to get their hands on firearms, or playing mutant characters, and the appearance of a funnel adventure in Crawling Under a Broken Moon #3, I embarked a new set of adventurers upon the path to glory, gold, and an untimely death.

Two weeks ago, I ran the first part of The Mall Maul from CUaBM#3, a bit of awesome sauce that, frankly, I mangled in the translation. This was due to a lack of prep on my part; although I read the adventure thoroughly, I should have prepared some flavour text ahead of time. Perhaps I should also have photocopied the map onto graph paper, and used coloured pencils to indicate main thoroughfares (mall walkways), service walkways, etc. I don’t spend enough time in malls to have done the setting justice.

For those of you not getting Crawling Under a Broken Moon, the setting is post-Apocalyptic Umerica – think Thundarr the Barbarian meets Mad Max meets Gamma World meets Dungeon Crawl Classics and you won’t be that far off. In the funnel adventure, the PCs are filling a tribute truck to buy off some raiders – when they hit 200 “tribute truck” points, they get 10 XP and level up.

There was some bitching about this from some quarters. I have been running the game where, when the 0-level PCs hit 10 XP, they level. This led to overly cautious play, where every item to PCs started with had to be considered as to whether or not it could count as tribute, and the players simply refused to explore the stranger areas of the mall until they were absolutely sure that there was nothing left in the mall proper. Each step of the way was handled with the sort of mind-numbing thoroughness that only comes with not having made driven home a time limit before the raiders arrive.

By the second week, for part 2 of The Maul Maul, I was a little better prepared. One thing that helped was a list of random items, effectively dungeon dressing for the mall. We had ended with the defeat of the main Malllock nest, and the tribute truck still not close to full. The second half of the mall is cooler than the first, but it is also harder to describe. Again, better prep in this area would have served me well. In any event, they hit the food court, filled the truck, levelled, and we ended it there.

Some notes:

• If I was doing this over, I would prep descriptions better, and perhaps scour the Internet for applicable visuals.
• Instead of dealing with TT values, I would simply have granted 1 XP per 20 TT found, and give the players a rough idea of how full the truck seemed to be.
• I would have copied and coloured the map to give me visual cues as an aid in describing places.
• A list of random junk on the first session, to aid in descriptions, would have helped.
• I had to make calls about leveling using Crawling Under a Broken Moon. Are mutants a race class? Can they take another class? I ruled that they could use half-levels, or they could use race-as-class. There was some pretty vocal bitching about this. Tough. When options are added, if you don’t like them, don’t use them, but don’t drag the game into a bitching match about the options you would use if you were running the game, unless you are actually prepared to do so.

Part 3 got off to a better start, as the players determined that they had cleared out the mall. There was a lot of talk about them keeping the stuff they had gotten for the tribute truck, or just keeping the tribute truck, but in the end the fact that they liked the local priest of Kizz got them to take his advice and leave their Podunk little town and head east towards Denethix….the raiders work for the wizard Dundee the Crocodile Lord, and in this part of Umerica, known as the Land of One Thousand Towers, the best you can hope for from any wizard is that they ignore you.

Along the way to Denethix, they meet two caravan guards, and go to rescue a merchant in the lair of several sick lion-like humanoids known as Moktars. This leads them to a cave atop a nearby mountain, which promises the possibility of loot. They decide to go to the closest (very poor) village and get some help – a new batch of 0-levels for everyone. All have a group of 4 PCs (mixed 1^st and 0-level), and head back up the mountain.

When last we left off, Suicidal Steve the 0-level Elf was hit in the head with a trap made of a swinging pipe. So far, no inhabitants of the newly-opened dungeon have reared their head, but the signs (literal signs on doors) indicate that there may be some useful technology around somewhere.

And that is where we pick up tonight……

(In case it is unclear, I am adapting Patrick Wetmore's excellent Anomalous Subsurface Environment to Dungeon Crawl Classics. This is a good fit, especially for the post-Apocalyptic environment of Crawling Under a Broken Moon. ASE also contains the means, via Michael Curtis, to connect the world of CUaBM with one's regular game, so that this new chapter is just the long way 'round to going "home" to where the regular PCs are. I think that's cool.)