According to the recent comments, the three PDF releases for UA that had been planned has now been shelved:
Regrettably, we ran into some issues in the editorial process. To make a long story short, these projects are now on the back burner indefinitely. :( Sorry.
Sad news. Yes, the Unknown Armies line is thankfully complete as is, but some more surreal weirdness in the UA mode would have been a good thing.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Because it needs to be said...
(WARNING: contains non-graphic allegorical buggery portrayed for humorous effect)
Trollslayers - Attributes (part 2) and Encumbrance
After giving some thought on the matter, I've decided to revise the racial maximums for attributes. The new rule is a lot simpler: whatever would be the maximum you could roll (including the bonus die) + whatever modifiers the attribute may have is now the maximum for that attribute that one can improve it to (not including changes to the attribute via magic). For humans, all of the racial attribute maximums is 24. If a race rolls 4d+1 for STR, the racial maximum is 31, and if they roll 2d-1 for DEX, the racial maximum for that is 17.
I've also worked out how encumbrance will be handled. Instead of counting up every pound (or heaven forbid, every 1/10 of a pound), items carried will have an ENC rating, which will be compared against the character's Encumbrance score. A character's Encumbrance score is a secondary attribute based directly off of STR; for the first 10 points of STR, you get 1 ENC point per two points of STR. The next ten points of STR (11-20) nets you one ENC point each. For the ten points of STR after that (21-30), you get two ENC points per point of STR. The ten points of STR after that (31-40) nets you three points of ENC per point of STR. And so forth. Confused? See the chart below:
I've also worked out how encumbrance will be handled. Instead of counting up every pound (or heaven forbid, every 1/10 of a pound), items carried will have an ENC rating, which will be compared against the character's Encumbrance score. A character's Encumbrance score is a secondary attribute based directly off of STR; for the first 10 points of STR, you get 1 ENC point per two points of STR. The next ten points of STR (11-20) nets you one ENC point each. For the ten points of STR after that (21-30), you get two ENC points per point of STR. The ten points of STR after that (31-40) nets you three points of ENC per point of STR. And so forth. Confused? See the chart below:
STR ENC STR ENC STR ENC STR ENC STR ENC
1 1 11 6 21 17 31 38 41 69
2 1 12 7 22 19 32 41 42 73
3 2 13 8 23 21 33 44 43 77
4 2 14 9 24 23 34 47 44 81
5 3 15 10 25 25 35 50 45 85
6 3 16 11 26 27 36 53 46 89
7 4 17 12 27 29 37 56 47 93
8 4 18 13 28 31 38 59 48 97
9 5 19 14 29 33 39 62 49 101
10 5 20 15 30 35 40 65 50 105
Not quite a smooth logarithmic progression by any stretch, but it does give us a range that shows off the difference between what an average (STR 10) person can carry, and what Conan (STR 24) can carry.
For items carried, an ENC of 1 equals roughly 5 pounds. For items that are either bulky (a large sack of feathers) or has part of its weight significantly more at one end than the other (a pick ax), every 4 pounds equals an ENC of 1. If an item is both bulky and not terribly well balanced in terms of weight distributional (trying to carry a suit of plate mail in your arms), the ENC is 1 per every 3 pounds. If an item is designed to be carried on part of the body (backpack, shield), the ENC is 1 every 6 pounds. If an item is designed to be worn over the entire body (clothing, armor), the ratio is 1 ENC every 7 pounds. Edit: if a item is fragile (flask of holy water, bottle of wine), the ENC is 1 for every 2 pounds, with a minimum ENC score of 1.
A character can carry up to their ENC score and be unencumbered, suffering no penalties as a result. They can carry up to twice their ENC score and be lightly encumbered, taking a -1 penalty to their DEX, and having their MOVE score multiplied by 3/4. If they are carrying up to 3 times their ENC score, they are moderately encumbered, taking a -2 penalty to their DEX, and their MOVE score is halved. If they are carrying up to 4 times their ENC score, they are seriously encumbered, taking a -3 penalty to their DEX, and their MOVE score is multiplied by 1/4. Finally, a character can carry up to 5 times their ENC, in which they are fully encumbered, taking a -4 penalty to their DEX, and their MOVE score is multiplied by 1/10.
Goes well with your vitamins and Ovaltine
Need a boost of sarcasm, witty writing, absurdity, and pure, undiluted awesome? Why then, you need to make sure you take your daily dose of Warren Ellis.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Review: "2112"
After the commercial failure of Caress of Steel, the band had one last chance to prove themselves, and had been given their marching orders by the record label: don't bother with long, prog-rock pieces, record short songs that would be radio-friendly. The group decided to stick to their guns, and record the album that they wanted to make. If this was to be their last effort, so be it, they would go out on their own terms. If they were to fail, then they were going to fail spectacularly.
The result was 2112, the album that put the band on the map.
The song '2112' runs about 20 ½ minutes, and like 'The Fountain of Lamneth' runs the length of an entire album side. Unlike 'Lamneth' and 'The Necromancer', '2112' succeeds in ways that those two previous extended pieces did not. The individual components that form the overall piece all function well on their own, and they flow well together to form a greater whole. The concept is intriguing and the lyrics are engaging. It should also be noted that, while the group would draw no small amount of flack for the dedication to Ayn Rand as inspiration for the song, Peart's lyrics here are much subtler here than they were on 'Anthem'. If one was not already familiar with the Rand story that in part inspired the song, the lyrics would not automatically be associated with Rand's philosophies had the dedication not been included on the album. '2112' is the story of one man against a society that has no use for him, not exactly a trope that Rand invented.
Additionally, the rest of the album holds up well. The most notable tracks include 'A Passage To Bangkok' (which for many fans is an excuse to 'light up' during live performances, but 'Bangkok' has more heft lyrically than most such songs), and 'The Twilight Zone' (inspired by the classic T.V. Series). However, the remaining tracks – and this is important – also pull their weight; there are no weak links in the chain, so to speak. 'Lessons' (with lyrics by Lifeson), the ballad 'Tears' (lyrics by Lee), and 'Something For Nothing' are all solid, well-done pieces. It should also be noted that, after the flaws on Caress of Steel, Terry Brown's production on this album nails it, showcasing both the power and the artistry of the songs.
The word 'masterpiece' gets bandied about a lot for anything that has any critical following, but the original use of the word had different implications. For craftsmen back in the middle ages, a masterpiece was a work that one could use to show that they had passed beyond being a mere journeyman in their trade, but was in fact a master of their craft. 2112 is Rush's masterpiece; not because it is their best or most famous album, but because it is the album that says, “we are not a Zeppelin knock-off or a half-baked prog band, we have a distinct musical vision and a unique sound all of our own.” 2112 was the album that no one else but Rush could have made, and this is the first album where the band really sounds like what one now thinks of as 'Rush'.
Despite not getting a lot of radio airplay, 2112 was a commercial success, eventually going multi-platinum. The album not only ensured their continued viability as a band, but also bought them their freedom from further interference from their record label. It's an album that stands up to repeated listenings even to this day, and if one is going to pick up only a handful of Rush albums, 2112 should be among that number.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Trollslayers - Professions and Talents
In Trollslayers, Professions encompass a wide range of skills and knowledges, and are essentially a shorthand that allow a character to be defined without having to list every single aspect of of that livelihood on the character sheet. If you are attempting a task, and your Profession is relevant to that task, you get a +1 modifier on your skill check, in addition to any other modifiers you might have due to Talents (see below), attribute modifiers, or any other factors in play.
Experts automatically get a Profession, and it can be pretty much anything, as long as it isn't directly related to combat or magic. Common Professions for PC's would include Woodsman, Thief, Bard, Spy, and Priest. Some Professions are less useful for adventurers, like Merchant and Jester, but their use isn't restricted. Noble would also be a Profession, but unless the GM wants to run a nobility-based game, having someone of noble blood in a group of non-nobles can be unwieldy, and will probably be forbidden.
Warriors also get a Profession, one that must be based on a martial occupation. Sample Professions for Warriors would include Barbarian, Foot Soldier, Mercenary, Borderer, Pirate, and Bandit. A Knight is also a Profession for Warriors, but for similar reasons to the Noble would also probably be restricted as a choice for PC's.
Magicians do not automatically get a Profession (some one say that the ability to use magic is their profession), but for the cost of two Talents, they can purchase either a Profession that defines how they use their magic in a social contest (i.e. Village Witch, Court Wizard), or, more commonly for PC's, they can purchase a Specialization, allowing them a bonus to a particular type of magic (i.e. Divination, Necromancy).
Paragons also do not start out with a Profession, as they are already busy trying to cram two opposing skill-sets into their head. That said, for the cost of three Talents, they can have a Profession of the type that either Warriors or Magicians might have. If they want a Profession of they type that an Expert might have, that would cost four Talents.
Where Professions are broad in scope, Talents are more narrow. Sample Talents would include Riding, First Aid, Stealth, Metalworking, Tracking, Seduction, Keen Eyesight, and Ambidexterity. Talents also cover weapon and shield skills. A particular Talent can be bought more than once, if desired. A Talent gives a +1 to a relevant task for each time it is purchased. For example, a sample character might have Dagger +1, Stealth +1, Sharp Hearing +1, Persuasion +2, Singing +1, and Strong Will +2 as their listed Talents.
Experts start out with INT/2 in Talents, Warriors and Magicians have INT/3 in Talents, and Paragons have INT/4. Humans start out with a bonus Talent.
The maximum number of Talents that a character can possess is (INT+Level) x 3/4 for Experts, (INT+Level) x 2/3 for Warriors and Magicians, and (INT+Level) x 1/2 for Paragons.
Warriors may have half their starting Talents be combat-related. Paragons may have one-third their starting Talents relate to combat, and Experts one-fourth. Magicians can not start out with combat Talents, although they may learn them as they advance in Level. The maximum number of combat Talents a Warrior may know is (INT+Level) x 1/2, a Paragon is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/3, an Expert is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/4, and a Magician is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/5 combat Talents.
The maximum level of any particular Talent is (Level+RA)/10, with RA being the Relevant Attribute for that Talent. Usually, the RA for combat skills and anything requiring manual coordination is DEX; the RA for various knowledges and lores is INT; bonuses to the five senses (i.e. Keen Eyesight, Sharp Hearing) has OBS as an RA; the RA for various social skills like Persuasion and Seduction would be PRE.
Literacy & Languages - both of these are treated as Talents, but need only be purchased once, as there is no benefit from purchasing Literacy or a particular language more than once. Literacy need only be purchased once to encompass any spoken languages the character may know.
Some characters may gain Literacy as a free Talent; this does not count against their total of starting Talents, but it does count against the maximum number of Talents a given character may learn. Magicians and Paragons (unless from a truly primitive society) gain Literacy free, as do Experts whose Professions demand the ability to read as a given (i.e. Scribes). Professions where the ability to read is quite useful, but not absolutely essentialist (i..e Bards, Merchants, most Priests) gain Literacy for free if their INT is 9 or higher. All other character gain Literacy for free if their INT is 13+, unless they are from an exceptionally primitive society.
A character starts out being able to speak their native language as a free Talent (again, this does not count against their total number of starting Talents, but it does count against the maximum number of Talents a character may eventually learn). Any other languages the character wishes to be able to speak must be purchased as separate Talents. Non-humans speak their own racial tongues, and must spend a Talent to learn the regional human tongue if they wish to converse with the local human populace.
Experts automatically get a Profession, and it can be pretty much anything, as long as it isn't directly related to combat or magic. Common Professions for PC's would include Woodsman, Thief, Bard, Spy, and Priest. Some Professions are less useful for adventurers, like Merchant and Jester, but their use isn't restricted. Noble would also be a Profession, but unless the GM wants to run a nobility-based game, having someone of noble blood in a group of non-nobles can be unwieldy, and will probably be forbidden.
Warriors also get a Profession, one that must be based on a martial occupation. Sample Professions for Warriors would include Barbarian, Foot Soldier, Mercenary, Borderer, Pirate, and Bandit. A Knight is also a Profession for Warriors, but for similar reasons to the Noble would also probably be restricted as a choice for PC's.
Magicians do not automatically get a Profession (some one say that the ability to use magic is their profession), but for the cost of two Talents, they can purchase either a Profession that defines how they use their magic in a social contest (i.e. Village Witch, Court Wizard), or, more commonly for PC's, they can purchase a Specialization, allowing them a bonus to a particular type of magic (i.e. Divination, Necromancy).
Paragons also do not start out with a Profession, as they are already busy trying to cram two opposing skill-sets into their head. That said, for the cost of three Talents, they can have a Profession of the type that either Warriors or Magicians might have. If they want a Profession of they type that an Expert might have, that would cost four Talents.
Where Professions are broad in scope, Talents are more narrow. Sample Talents would include Riding, First Aid, Stealth, Metalworking, Tracking, Seduction, Keen Eyesight, and Ambidexterity. Talents also cover weapon and shield skills. A particular Talent can be bought more than once, if desired. A Talent gives a +1 to a relevant task for each time it is purchased. For example, a sample character might have Dagger +1, Stealth +1, Sharp Hearing +1, Persuasion +2, Singing +1, and Strong Will +2 as their listed Talents.
Experts start out with INT/2 in Talents, Warriors and Magicians have INT/3 in Talents, and Paragons have INT/4. Humans start out with a bonus Talent.
The maximum number of Talents that a character can possess is (INT+Level) x 3/4 for Experts, (INT+Level) x 2/3 for Warriors and Magicians, and (INT+Level) x 1/2 for Paragons.
Warriors may have half their starting Talents be combat-related. Paragons may have one-third their starting Talents relate to combat, and Experts one-fourth. Magicians can not start out with combat Talents, although they may learn them as they advance in Level. The maximum number of combat Talents a Warrior may know is (INT+Level) x 1/2, a Paragon is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/3, an Expert is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/4, and a Magician is limited to (INT+Level) x 1/5 combat Talents.
The maximum level of any particular Talent is (Level+RA)/10, with RA being the Relevant Attribute for that Talent. Usually, the RA for combat skills and anything requiring manual coordination is DEX; the RA for various knowledges and lores is INT; bonuses to the five senses (i.e. Keen Eyesight, Sharp Hearing) has OBS as an RA; the RA for various social skills like Persuasion and Seduction would be PRE.
Literacy & Languages - both of these are treated as Talents, but need only be purchased once, as there is no benefit from purchasing Literacy or a particular language more than once. Literacy need only be purchased once to encompass any spoken languages the character may know.
Some characters may gain Literacy as a free Talent; this does not count against their total of starting Talents, but it does count against the maximum number of Talents a given character may learn. Magicians and Paragons (unless from a truly primitive society) gain Literacy free, as do Experts whose Professions demand the ability to read as a given (i.e. Scribes). Professions where the ability to read is quite useful, but not absolutely essentialist (i..e Bards, Merchants, most Priests) gain Literacy for free if their INT is 9 or higher. All other character gain Literacy for free if their INT is 13+, unless they are from an exceptionally primitive society.
A character starts out being able to speak their native language as a free Talent (again, this does not count against their total number of starting Talents, but it does count against the maximum number of Talents a character may eventually learn). Any other languages the character wishes to be able to speak must be purchased as separate Talents. Non-humans speak their own racial tongues, and must spend a Talent to learn the regional human tongue if they wish to converse with the local human populace.
Monday, January 24, 2011
She did WHAT?!?!?
This will meander about a little bit, and take me a while to get to the point. Bear with me.
Recently I was going through some of my comics, deciding which ones I was going to send out to my friend Greg Hatcher. Greg teaches cartooning classes to middle-school students in the Seattle area, and every once in a blue moon I cull through my comics, set aside the ones I no longer want, and (if they're age-appropriate) send them to Greg to give to his students.
This brought me to a stack of Marvel's Micronauts comics from the late 70's and early 80's. Specifically, Micronauts #6.
Now, when I picked these up a few months earlier, it had pretty much been on a whim. I barely have room for the stuff I do pick up, but they were two for a buck, and I remember liking these as a kid, and wanted to see if they held up well all these years later.
As it turns out, they did for the most part. One of the best things that writer Bill Mantlo did was not dumb the writing down, despite the fact that it was based off of a popular toy line of the time. Drawing inspiration from both Star Wars and Jack Kirby's 'Fourth World' stories, as well as various other SF works, Mantlo and artist Michael Golden created a space-opera universe that could be just as gritty at times as anything else published by Marvel back then (seriously, the main bad guy, Baron Karza, used his prisons/death camps to harvest body parts from prisoners).
Still, there wouldn't be anything too out of line, right? After all, it did have the Comics Code Authority seal on it. Now, the Comics Code may have just recently went the way of all flesh (and good riddance, says I), but in the late 70's it still had some teeth to it. Not as powerful as it was in the 50's and 60's, of course, but it could still cause problems for publishers.
So I was more than a little surprised to see that Mantlo and Golden had managed to slip the following sequence past the CCA. To set the scene, one of the book's subplots involved the Underground resistance leader Slug, who has been captured and held prisoner in the aforementioned prison (also referred to in the series as the 'Body Banks'), all the while trying to find and help free Prince Argon. She eventually finds him, only to discover that he has been turned into a centaur by Karza's scientists, and is wallowing in self-pity as a result. How is Slug to facilitate their escape? (click on the panel below to enlarge)
That's right, she hid a disruptor in her hoo-ha.
Take that, Fredric Wertham!
Recently I was going through some of my comics, deciding which ones I was going to send out to my friend Greg Hatcher. Greg teaches cartooning classes to middle-school students in the Seattle area, and every once in a blue moon I cull through my comics, set aside the ones I no longer want, and (if they're age-appropriate) send them to Greg to give to his students.
This brought me to a stack of Marvel's Micronauts comics from the late 70's and early 80's. Specifically, Micronauts #6.
Now, when I picked these up a few months earlier, it had pretty much been on a whim. I barely have room for the stuff I do pick up, but they were two for a buck, and I remember liking these as a kid, and wanted to see if they held up well all these years later.
As it turns out, they did for the most part. One of the best things that writer Bill Mantlo did was not dumb the writing down, despite the fact that it was based off of a popular toy line of the time. Drawing inspiration from both Star Wars and Jack Kirby's 'Fourth World' stories, as well as various other SF works, Mantlo and artist Michael Golden created a space-opera universe that could be just as gritty at times as anything else published by Marvel back then (seriously, the main bad guy, Baron Karza, used his prisons/death camps to harvest body parts from prisoners).
Still, there wouldn't be anything too out of line, right? After all, it did have the Comics Code Authority seal on it. Now, the Comics Code may have just recently went the way of all flesh (and good riddance, says I), but in the late 70's it still had some teeth to it. Not as powerful as it was in the 50's and 60's, of course, but it could still cause problems for publishers.
So I was more than a little surprised to see that Mantlo and Golden had managed to slip the following sequence past the CCA. To set the scene, one of the book's subplots involved the Underground resistance leader Slug, who has been captured and held prisoner in the aforementioned prison (also referred to in the series as the 'Body Banks'), all the while trying to find and help free Prince Argon. She eventually finds him, only to discover that he has been turned into a centaur by Karza's scientists, and is wallowing in self-pity as a result. How is Slug to facilitate their escape? (click on the panel below to enlarge)
That's right, she hid a disruptor in her hoo-ha.
Take that, Fredric Wertham!
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