tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24658631447876831532024-03-19T04:47:45.289-04:00BARKING ALIENTHE YIPS, GROWLS AND HOWLING OF ADAM DICKSTEINAdam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comBlogger1740125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-23962217488393677152024-03-16T19:57:00.001-04:002024-03-16T19:57:56.992-04:00HOLY ORDER OF WARES!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Did everyone hear the news? No?!? Well lemme lay it on you...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://youtu.be/A901jfXTgwY?si=3gI5DCBsyfJywxCv"><span style="color: #04ff00;">WARES BLADE</span></a> is coming to the United States in ENGLISH! </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_n3kXslTmrJVG1t0UnqFJFxir-j04ZTpq67VqMormC0ScEG8ez8B-P7M7pk5ksn2WAJXXRrWbZKOq7gmUXEzli4fgcaHZXG8t6_AHhbkNdGUvGkhoO0OtFtlsASBLPo-Q0iykzIjXIwIXS3TuRm7fSynFP33xnlldNRqX1qhDoiDA_yjwIFxEJOcZ5SB/s1110/Wares%20Blade-Legends%20of%20Japan%20Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1110" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_n3kXslTmrJVG1t0UnqFJFxir-j04ZTpq67VqMormC0ScEG8ez8B-P7M7pk5ksn2WAJXXRrWbZKOq7gmUXEzli4fgcaHZXG8t6_AHhbkNdGUvGkhoO0OtFtlsASBLPo-Q0iykzIjXIwIXS3TuRm7fSynFP33xnlldNRqX1qhDoiDA_yjwIFxEJOcZ5SB/w585-h324/Wares%20Blade-Legends%20of%20Japan%20Banner.jpg" width="585" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sorry it's taken me so long to post this but I've been in a deep dive down the rabbit hole of Japanese TRPGs lately and it took awhile to find my way back up to the surface. I've got so much I want to talk about! Ah, but first...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On March 12th,</span> <a href="https://lionwingpublishing.com/" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">LionWing Publishing</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> announced via a 'Showcase' stream and the attached video that they'll be doing a Kickstarter in 2025 for an English Language translation of Wares Blade. This is the classic Japanese TRPG of Magic and Machinery that I've mentioned on this blog many times now (click the Wares Blade tag below). </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Check out this </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://lionwingpublishing.com/blogs/news/japanese-ttrpg-wares-blade-receiving-english-localization-and-remastering-from-lionwing-publishing-in-2025"><span style="color: #04ff00;">ann</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">ouncement statement</span></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> on LionWing's website.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I can't tell you how excited I am. I've literally been waiting for Wares Blade in English since I first found out about the game in 1988. This is news I never expected to hear. It's kind of incredible. Almost hard to believe. What's next? Life discovered on another planet in our Solar System? Some distant relative I've never heard of left me a million dollars? After 'Wares Blade coming to the USA in English' I'm ready for anything!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It seems this is part of what they intend to be a line of games; collectively called 'Legends of Japan' (not the most creative name but it works), focused on Japanese Tabletop Roleplaying Games of that market's early era. Well, sort of. Not so early that they were largely just importing and translating US games and not so late that JTRPGs were regularly produced, distributed, and sold all over Japan and available through JTRPG dedicated websites. Wares Blade is pretty much the perfect example of a game that fits within this category. Others might include Gear Antique, Metalhead, Peekaboo (aka Peekaboo Horror), SATASUPE, and of course Sword World. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;">Curiously...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The image they used to announce their endeavor is the cover of</div><div style="text-align: center;">'The Renewal', the 2nd Edition of the Wares Blade TRPG.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's the full version.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjcUOz8tljMoG7Ob6RJB_Z-uE9D5E_X9lUWay7eGp7fTjWoS1tFH6_ZugpTggFpgzMSkmWIFasKLEBTrIIlOyNgh6KWqFIl_oyPHFXJlelRpwYciK2uW9wy8c75YpyaUgTf8_WukFRNK_vSmImbm8alsFujDme5CVSm2WT7zQYzYbJum_Mhst3CiunNDw/s1024/Wares%20Blade_The%20Renewal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="796" height="698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjcUOz8tljMoG7Ob6RJB_Z-uE9D5E_X9lUWay7eGp7fTjWoS1tFH6_ZugpTggFpgzMSkmWIFasKLEBTrIIlOyNgh6KWqFIl_oyPHFXJlelRpwYciK2uW9wy8c75YpyaUgTf8_WukFRNK_vSmImbm8alsFujDme5CVSm2WT7zQYzYbJum_Mhst3CiunNDw/w543-h698/Wares%20Blade_The%20Renewal.jpg" width="543" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Expect more coverage of this as I learn more. Until then...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-43022962746261455402024-03-16T00:01:00.000-04:002024-03-16T00:01:21.464-04:0031 Days / 31 Characters - JIN'HOKO <span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Tenchi Muyo!</span></a></b> is a Sci-Fi/Space Opera Harem Comedy franchise created by Masaki Kajishima that first appeared as a six episode OVA (Original Video Animation) series in Japan in 1992. The title translates to '<b>No Need for Tenchi</b>', with Tenchi Masaki being the titular character. His name is also a play on words translating to 'Heaven and Earth', such that the series could also be called 'No Need for Heaven and Earth'. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkMo0xz9qlNcKJsZEkFqgiOzUQgqScq-IB5OduZMdBhK536gJ-BXoQ3XK4GGMZJNb5oeOWaPk-VnSxTC4Nf046_nSbjE70fcQ-pM016rU_Vbq-zqVAb4doxWNjyRr3OgALylPuKlQNsbEhiqKg2_6jieor9S4-Xj0U6IMFLXC0bswGMaEAGF-PnnRobwp/s1246/Tenchi%20Muyo%20Ryo-Ohki%20OVA%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkMo0xz9qlNcKJsZEkFqgiOzUQgqScq-IB5OduZMdBhK536gJ-BXoQ3XK4GGMZJNb5oeOWaPk-VnSxTC4Nf046_nSbjE70fcQ-pM016rU_Vbq-zqVAb4doxWNjyRr3OgALylPuKlQNsbEhiqKg2_6jieor9S4-Xj0U6IMFLXC0bswGMaEAGF-PnnRobwp/w502-h640/Tenchi%20Muyo%20Ryo-Ohki%20OVA%201.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Since 1992 the franchise has produced four additional OVA series, three multi-season Anime television shows, three animated feature films, two Manga series, and numerous novels as well as light novels, some published in Japan and some produced by an American publishing company here in the U.S. There have been several spin-offs as well, including <b>Magical Girl Pretty Sammy</b>, <b>Photon: The Idiot Adventures</b>, and <b>Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure</b> (itself a partial parody of Evangelion). <b>The Magnificent World of El-Hazard, </b>a seeming unrelated series, is revealed through the course of its OVA to also be connected to the 'Tenchiverse'.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the more popular spin-offs, which has spawned a TV series, an OVA series, a Manga, and a string of light novels, is called <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!_GXP"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Tenchi Muyo! GXP</span></a></b>. In 2012 the Anime aired on Adult Swim in the US and elsewhere. It follows the adventures of unlucky Earth boy Seina Yamada, who is mistakenly recruited into the interplanetary law enforcement agency known as the Galaxy Police. Keep this in mind for later. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In Japan, a TRPG set in the Tenchi Muyo! universe was produced for the multi-genre/setting game MAGIUS. The main book and three supplements came out between 1995 and 1996. Guardians of Order put out a Tenchi Muyo! RPG and 'Resource' Book in 2000. This was followed by a GM Screen and sourcebooks for two of the television shows, Tenchi Universe and Tenchi in Tokyo.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPpL3XBSsLL-lXeczD2Fm1LWU2bFyocd7qts0Bl2HBLAIajNqZwcFCzteYn5aTn26rHrADJuIk0J8OQmOvlahY8GTnPS1AAjtu3h9Bwrn8_Dw05zdEPLwMPCjJDakUgO_z0FWA1ollmhyuxCwKFwMEk7n2J0okMTEVwV8-1cQcvwz7uEDfoUfnPHerGk/s1316/Tenchi%20Muyo_MAGIUS%20TRPG%20Books%20and%20Supplements.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="1316" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPpL3XBSsLL-lXeczD2Fm1LWU2bFyocd7qts0Bl2HBLAIajNqZwcFCzteYn5aTn26rHrADJuIk0J8OQmOvlahY8GTnPS1AAjtu3h9Bwrn8_Dw05zdEPLwMPCjJDakUgO_z0FWA1ollmhyuxCwKFwMEk7n2J0okMTEVwV8-1cQcvwz7uEDfoUfnPHerGk/w640-h222/Tenchi%20Muyo_MAGIUS%20TRPG%20Books%20and%20Supplements.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The Tenchi Muyo! RPG products using MAGIUS by Fujimi Shobo</span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFrV2CPFp8hh3LXIYSW6YjNSpw_-7OVKR3FBw_UGlCvm2RR3b_fSIB6oGQ2FbU5tjGxO4JUEPQGzrHThrooaa0x6WMes5NW-nuFp6bM7jPvws8HyPUE4Cc9OshbTQs6K0xJng2o2KjXcYzEqoS3XRV9HnhC_rXaKvd7pskHIg3D2kw5k5N_zcjP_YyyXg/s1400/Tenchi%20Muyo_BESM%20Guardians%20of%20Order%20RPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="1400" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFrV2CPFp8hh3LXIYSW6YjNSpw_-7OVKR3FBw_UGlCvm2RR3b_fSIB6oGQ2FbU5tjGxO4JUEPQGzrHThrooaa0x6WMes5NW-nuFp6bM7jPvws8HyPUE4Cc9OshbTQs6K0xJng2o2KjXcYzEqoS3XRV9HnhC_rXaKvd7pskHIg3D2kw5k5N_zcjP_YyyXg/w640-h208/Tenchi%20Muyo_BESM%20Guardians%20of%20Order%20RPG.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The Tenchi Muyo! RPG products by Guardians of Order</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Tenchi Muyo! is a franchise very near and dear to me. Not only am I a really big fan of it but also because it's how I met my ex-wife.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We met when she came into the Japanese Pop Culture Entertainment related retail store where I was working. She came in that day looking for the latest installment of Tenchi Muyo!. The thing was, Selina really knew her stuff and had been aware of the first OVA series even before it came out in America. As a result, she was unsure what was available in the US already and what hadn't yet been released here. We ended up talking quite a bit, bonding over our mutual love of Tenchi and company. About a year later we got together outside of work to watch some Anime and the rest is history [and just about the best ten years of my life].*</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cool story but what does this have to do with a character for the 31 Days/31 Characters Challenge? Well...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWG3VMUa77wKX4acEjjjeoEPOZn0MzSUP0jCeHZZXss2P46RWYXXHh-PIeHJGLL9Q8PCeAmeNh6Yj-TF2u3DwtNECkeJOB8z9lf0Ept7g95zVIT19TaFel2s60nRGYk5saFsW_kB-8qsfR9W0Vk9miAN1r7mSlltr-YxqyT2IzY2OeVX6CKB79Pa-wYKm/s879/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Mihoshi%20and%20Kiyone%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="879" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWG3VMUa77wKX4acEjjjeoEPOZn0MzSUP0jCeHZZXss2P46RWYXXHh-PIeHJGLL9Q8PCeAmeNh6Yj-TF2u3DwtNECkeJOB8z9lf0Ept7g95zVIT19TaFel2s60nRGYk5saFsW_kB-8qsfR9W0Vk9miAN1r7mSlltr-YxqyT2IzY2OeVX6CKB79Pa-wYKm/w640-h480/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Mihoshi%20and%20Kiyone%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">The first Galaxy Police we encounter in the Tenchi Muyo! universe:</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mihoshi (kneeling) and Kiyone (standing)</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">At some point prior to 2002 I told Selina about an idea that had come to me, a really cool concept for a Tenchi Muyo! Anime, Manga, or maybe a TRPG campaign; <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Ginga Keisatsu Muyo!</span></b> or <b>'No Need for The Galaxy Police!'</b>. Selina liked the idea but said it would probably go over better as a game than as a Japanese series. Most fans prefer their 'Tenchi' be Earth related. I figured she was probably right. Sure enough a couple years later Studio AIC released the newest installment of the Tenchi Muyo franchise, Tenchi Muyo GXP!. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIF2GpSNL7uaAts-GS2GN9m5XAepKGax5B04m1kW78hL63I0iK0F7WgxHEqedDeQLTdn_BO5D-pzYA_a89QKecNe5kc2Bm3L1rrbs-bEkU9CVbnQekLw0_KNCWcjojYM9eKBqShn2tZYmgHEGrhP5BecD9N2u5Wox63oBRQNJ1-8VgKgtSbpcrjKOpuUA/s1481/Tenchi%20Muyo%20GXP_Cover%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="983" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIF2GpSNL7uaAts-GS2GN9m5XAepKGax5B04m1kW78hL63I0iK0F7WgxHEqedDeQLTdn_BO5D-pzYA_a89QKecNe5kc2Bm3L1rrbs-bEkU9CVbnQekLw0_KNCWcjojYM9eKBqShn2tZYmgHEGrhP5BecD9N2u5Wox63oBRQNJ1-8VgKgtSbpcrjKOpuUA/w424-h640/Tenchi%20Muyo%20GXP_Cover%20Poster.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"><b>Tenchi Muyo! GXP</b></span></div></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The game concept stuck with me however, even after Selina and I parted ways, and sometime around 2010(?) I ran a one-shot session of Ginga Keisatsu Muyo at a Pop Culture convention with a large Anime/Manga presence (though it wasn't an Anime Convention). The most memorable and exciting character was Jin'Hoko...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG39H67g0ZLKncHmoqegSfvx312JPDH8a-NaaAuyUlSnvJNAEJsb8CqBq2XlVo9E_rjwK-gAWfHcd7An_JhhcVQruS_j4TdT0717nLOpM7eTvgkP4INH7hHpOZvs_fygSLRbG8n6yHjHwV8wYfTIQAarYpdOTqrTKerYSssXdHcnlz0aiL9FvGnCKPpbi9/s650/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Wau%20Officer-Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="643" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG39H67g0ZLKncHmoqegSfvx312JPDH8a-NaaAuyUlSnvJNAEJsb8CqBq2XlVo9E_rjwK-gAWfHcd7An_JhhcVQruS_j4TdT0717nLOpM7eTvgkP4INH7hHpOZvs_fygSLRbG8n6yHjHwV8wYfTIQAarYpdOTqrTKerYSssXdHcnlz0aiL9FvGnCKPpbi9/w396-h400/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Wau%20Officer-Portrait.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Character: </b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jin'Hoko</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Detective First Class, Jin</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Nikki</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Teenagers from Outer Space, 1st Edition, with my 'Advanced TFOS' houserules. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have a special surprise for you all down below in the 'Game Info' section. Keeping reading!</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>One-Shot: </b>Ginga Keisatsu Muyo! No Need for the Galaxy Police!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 2010(?)</div><div><br /></div><div>Not entirely positive if it was 2009, 2010, or 2011. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> I kinda gave away the origins of this game and character earlier in the post but I'll get more specific about Officer Jin'Hoko herself:</div><div><br /></div><div>More often than not I create Pre-Gens when running games at conventions. When doing so I always leave room for the player to customize their PC, name them, and come up with a bit of background.</div><div><br /></div><div>A cool gal named Nikki picked the <b>Wau</b> Officer and called her Jin, later changing it to Jin'Hoko. The Wau are a species of intelligent, humanoid felines resembling lions. She used the extra points I gave out to raise her 'Blaster' Knack and asked me if she could switch out or add a custom Power called 'Blaster-Fu' which I'll discuss later. Of course I said yes, replacing another Power on the character sheet. Her background was kind of made-up as she went along but it ended up being absolutely excellent. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QN6JjlkOsNJ-OYJu9xFgFXxzHbIdcZotAzUjhuBLi20ChO9GfRX1QKlib_UX7ds1FOT46F8RMTK1vAVY-jyWRM14mNB4FHeqYjoIKerNknCEGkvWRBgDT8Bu-CfPhMJ0kIFCWApxRMa8eGsKKsty9llma4gwVH7FJS_3mKsxaY3Gkmo22BpxOmdnYngs/s972/TFOS_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="754" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QN6JjlkOsNJ-OYJu9xFgFXxzHbIdcZotAzUjhuBLi20ChO9GfRX1QKlib_UX7ds1FOT46F8RMTK1vAVY-jyWRM14mNB4FHeqYjoIKerNknCEGkvWRBgDT8Bu-CfPhMJ0kIFCWApxRMa8eGsKKsty9llma4gwVH7FJS_3mKsxaY3Gkmo22BpxOmdnYngs/w496-h640/TFOS_0001.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory: </span></b>Officer Jin'Hoko is First Class Detective of the Galaxy Police, the interstellar law enforcement division of the <b>Galaxy Federation</b>. She had served as a loyal, dedicated, and efficient police-being for sometime prior to the game's incident. At least, that's what the records show. The truth is not too different but often leaves out her reckless use of her GP Blasters when apprehending Space Pirates.</div><div><br /></div><div>We additionally learn that Jin'Hoko's family were once profitable merchants who'd been preyed upon by the <b>Space Pirate Cometia </b>to the point where they couldn't stay in business. Jin initially applied to the <b>Galaxy Academy</b> in order to support her family and someday defeat Cometia. </div><div><br /></div><div>In this adventure, she gets her chance.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyyvDO3qrK18fQM5PSoi0vdGk51mQSoJm-bXzsuk4G3YWixshIYBNBKnm2rJ7sKeinA3iexh_dqQ8OxisjdPMpEna4xQjKjtmhCEuknXPYonMdKmPPEfFLf5J9qYZmdEEexXwyp61nlNWZWprgcCCdRb7REUwiexzEKVp_G8FkvL70ebQbLjJYgiCvbRZ/s1027/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police%20Emblem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1027" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyyvDO3qrK18fQM5PSoi0vdGk51mQSoJm-bXzsuk4G3YWixshIYBNBKnm2rJ7sKeinA3iexh_dqQ8OxisjdPMpEna4xQjKjtmhCEuknXPYonMdKmPPEfFLf5J9qYZmdEEexXwyp61nlNWZWprgcCCdRb7REUwiexzEKVp_G8FkvL70ebQbLjJYgiCvbRZ/w400-h349/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police%20Emblem.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Emblem of the Galaxy Police</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> Galaxy Police Officers <b>Hikari</b> and <b>Kumonosu</b> are having lunch at a space station 'drive-in' diner when they receive a call from their precinct, the infamous Space Pirate Cometia is attacking a freighter in the vicinity of Diaspora! The two Officers immediately take off in their Patrol Ship and head for the incident. Hikari, a relatively recent graduate of the Galaxy Police Academy suggests they call for back-up as Cometia and her vessel, the Dragon Riot, are ranked among the most dangerous criminals in outer space. Kumonosu agrees. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hearing their request, GP Detective First Class Jin'Hoko and Special Investigator <b>Chikao</b> <b>Arakane</b> - with her robot sidekick '<b>Chiru-B1</b>' - respond and fly to the scene of the crime at top speed. As their three ships arrive, the Transport/Freighter is burning and listing while a spikey, odd looking spacecraft tries to land on it and presumably board the merchant ship. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Galaxy Police [PCs], over the course of the session, discover that the freighter was actually a getaway vessel of another group of pirates and Cometia was trying to stop them from escaping with a fabulous treasure. The treasure included a royal relic belonging to a Great House of the <b>Jurai Empire</b>, one connected to Officer Hikari's family.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things get further confused and complicated over the next three hours as Jin'Hoko and her allies learn Cometia was created and controlled by a bio-engineering genius turned Crime Boss/Pirate Queen. Her early 'career' as a Space Pirate was the villain commanding her to commit acts of piracy. Freed from this a few years back, Cometia has been trying to make up for what she'd been forced to do by hunting down other Pirates. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVm1RVaO67vQ2mumdSersdR31ooFOCBRHSxgNFaNb8f9LSlFWFoq-i9YRK5-5Zxk9tfV-hFt5stjqyo8P3_QtffSYBUVbYdCG61XeE3kdST4s75IufyH-Ub_TAn9tjLfq4R6oB17zIzKx85cbPI2MjLbIrg7086TW8IbvtkHx_uf0JSel3-ZjYGtVbQjyo/s1164/Ginga%20Keisatsu%20Muyo_PC%20Team.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1164" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVm1RVaO67vQ2mumdSersdR31ooFOCBRHSxgNFaNb8f9LSlFWFoq-i9YRK5-5Zxk9tfV-hFt5stjqyo8P3_QtffSYBUVbYdCG61XeE3kdST4s75IufyH-Ub_TAn9tjLfq4R6oB17zIzKx85cbPI2MjLbIrg7086TW8IbvtkHx_uf0JSel3-ZjYGtVbQjyo/w640-h402/Ginga%20Keisatsu%20Muyo_PC%20Team.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Left to Right:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Detective Jin'Hoko, Rookie Officer Hikari, Chiru-B1</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Special Investigator Chikao, and Veteran Officer Kumonosu.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The grand finale had the entire PC group plus Cometia fighting the Pirate Queen and her horde of crazy Space Pirates throughout her hideout/headquarters/starship which had a trans-dimensional M.C. Escher floorplan.</span> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Highlights:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Cometia manages to board the freighter and begins attacking the people on board (who are pirates but this isn't known to the PCs yet). Jin'Hoko and Special Investigator Chikao enter the cargo ship from a different airlock and Jin'Hoko runs up a wall, then launches herself at Cometia. The Wau badass slams the notorious Space Pirate into a bulkhead rolling a Crit! Nikki then said Jin'Hoko opens up on Cometia with her two Blasters at point blank and rolled, Criting AGAIN! </div><div><br /></div><div>I was about to say something since Nikki really shouldn't have made that second roll. This was technically her taking two actions. Everyone at the table just stared at Nikki with their jaws having dropped and then started clapping or shouting 'Yeah!' and so we went with it. Furthermore, Crits in Teenagers from Outer Space are actually kind of bad. The rules are you don't just succeed or even really succeed but you Super-Duper-Over-Succeed. Jin ends up blowing Cometia through the ships hull and - FLOOSH! - explosive decompression! Chiru-B1 rushes to help Chikao while Hikari and Kumonosu race to save Jin'Hoko. Meanwhile, a badly injured Cometia shook her fist and shouted at Jin (which no one could hear through the soundless void of space). </div><div><br /></div><div>In the final battle Jin uses her heightened sense of smell in concert with her Blaster-Fu ability to shoot a bunch of Pirate goons to her right, left, and behind her or her friends without directly looking at them. She would often pair up with other PCs, creating some really cool and different combos based on her partner at the time. One of my favorites was right before facing the Pirate Queen Big Bad when Jin and Hikari work together. Hikari is revealed to be part Royal Blooded Jurai and possessed a variation of Tenchi's <b><a href="https://tenchi.fandom.com/wiki/Light_Hawk_Wings"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Light Hawk Wings</span></a></b> power. Hikari absorbed blasts from Jin'Hoko's pistols and used the energy to fire off a barrage of light bolts - basically releasing two dozen baseball-sized photon torpedoes. Jin's idea. </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xUDQdoE0fMXQMCuR_LxHHTU0EYlwLZIQ-XXsnW3l-OcAzhc772FAyVPhZ_6M3mCobTZD4xAI_IAzHjuXjw4ylOVtVe1l6GeLCkCItcyYo1UeXkqmdo1icxwijRtwdGnUI3pu56HMYF4y_lVon4PZbpr-PJkG02XIj7-O1BTv_8nQOjTKGW9SzCVpp2IH/s1344/Space%20Pirate%20Cometia_Ginga%20Keisatsu%20Muyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="896" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xUDQdoE0fMXQMCuR_LxHHTU0EYlwLZIQ-XXsnW3l-OcAzhc772FAyVPhZ_6M3mCobTZD4xAI_IAzHjuXjw4ylOVtVe1l6GeLCkCItcyYo1UeXkqmdo1icxwijRtwdGnUI3pu56HMYF4y_lVon4PZbpr-PJkG02XIj7-O1BTv_8nQOjTKGW9SzCVpp2IH/w426-h640/Space%20Pirate%20Cometia_Ginga%20Keisatsu%20Muyo.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">The notorious but actually reluctant Space Pirate Cometia!</span></div></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The one-shot I ran used my own 'Advanced TFOS' variant of the Teenagers from Outer Space game but I thought it would be fun to try and build Jin'Hoko in the game <b><a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2024/03/devastator-cannon-irradiation-to-warp.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Space Ship Story</span></a></b>, the Japanese indie Space Opera TRPG I mentioned in my previous post. SSS seems perfect for this sort of setting and character. Let's see how this goes...</div><div><br /></div><div>First, I think Detective Jin'Hoko's Classes would be Gunner and Officer. At first I thought Gunner/Neighbor because Neighbor is used to represent alien characters and Jin is a Wau, a species of lion-like humanoids. The thing is, other than her physical prowess and supernormal sense of smell, Jin wasn't particularly 'alien' in her personality, mindset, or story. I gave her a bonus +1 to Senses here when smelling for trouble. I could use to bump up her Physical Body stat though. Hmm.</div><div><br /></div><div>As mentioned in my prior entry, PCs start with two Specialty Skills (one from each Class) and five additional skills, one of which must be Class based and one must be a Support Skill. The rest can be made up of any combination of Class and Support. For Jin'Hoko I chose:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cooperative Attack</b> (Officer Specialty Skill)</div><div><b>Interference</b> (Gunner Specialty Skill)</div><div><b>Investigate</b> (Support Skill)</div><div><b>Military Tactics</b> (Officer Class Skill)</div><div><b>Pilot</b> (Support Skill)</div><div><b>Shooter</b> (Gunner Class Skill)</div><div><b>Twin Barrel</b> (Gunner Class Skill)</div><div><br /></div><div>One of her Skills is custom - <b>Twin Barrels</b>. I created a virtually identical ability for the TFOS version so I just gave it to her here. It would qualify as a Gunner Class Skill. </div><div><br /></div><div>I assume her <b>Intercomp</b> (a combination Communicator/Personal Computer) is in the form of the Galaxy Police Watch. In the Animation there is also a sensor in it that can detect lifeforms but here I'm going to say hers doesn't have that. During the game that kind of thing was usually left up to Officer Hikari and the robot Chiru-B1.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last thing I'd like to point out is under Special Items - <b>The Control Cube</b>. This is an item from the Tenchi Muyo! universe that looks like a faintly glowing, blue or red plastic cube about the size of a softball. The Control Cube is an extradimensional device that is capable of holding a number of items within it. By twisting and turning it (like a Rubik's Cube) the user can pull out the equipment they need. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILfmBbwOhViY-LDEwBaIuFlRyiLOpjgTg5O2kGNSRVy98rax0RVPOJR3rxWCL9TkBbYnDXxR2EY1BlYIDHaQTFZ9_K9r7gEkLHSxhyphenhyphenvM4R5DRznkXc_ToAYcQekZzLJ9n5SvgNAi88J4ilsOZsVjbY2HSi2k7iGOr2GOd4l0mkthJyfB6LDJVEPqv0e2m/s1403/Space%20Ship%20Story%20Character%20Sheet-Jin-Hoko_Galaxy%20Police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1403" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILfmBbwOhViY-LDEwBaIuFlRyiLOpjgTg5O2kGNSRVy98rax0RVPOJR3rxWCL9TkBbYnDXxR2EY1BlYIDHaQTFZ9_K9r7gEkLHSxhyphenhyphenvM4R5DRznkXc_ToAYcQekZzLJ9n5SvgNAi88J4ilsOZsVjbY2HSi2k7iGOr2GOd4l0mkthJyfB6LDJVEPqv0e2m/w640-h464/Space%20Ship%20Story%20Character%20Sheet-Jin-Hoko_Galaxy%20Police.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Notes:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Jin'Hoko's name is a play on 'Raion no hōkō' which means 'lion's roar'.</div><div><br /></div><div>As noted, Jin is a Wau, a humanoid feline species resembling lions. Numerous characters of this species have appeared in the various Tenchi series and the Wau are noted to be long standing members of the Galaxy Federation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jin'Hoko was inspired by the Wau we'd seen before but also M'Ress from Star Trek: The Animated Series. Nikki admitted to thinking about her when making the character. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nikki did an amazing job of playing Detective Jin'Hoko as both 'Action Hero out for Vengence' and someone with a bit of a moral quandary. Jin grew up believing the Space Pirate Cometia to be the 'boogeyman' who attacked her family's ships and ruining their livelihood. To find out it might have been this Pirate Queen villain and her cronies, that Cometia might be on the side of good, turned Jin's world (galaxy?) upside down. She (Nikki) really played it well. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div><b style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></b></div><div>Unfortunately, I haven't thought about this character in a long time. In fact, I haven't thought about the Tenchi Muyo franchise in quite. That's a shame. It is certainly one of my all time favorite universes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it deserves a rewatch...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWKrS0pN0qm5tpYed8RasPhpWDKjJaK8ZuG_rr-byNdqF6Er2Rs4STljp4zFJOzAGo-x7-baXl3n7P0pcuXk6e1KDephNi5TvO-rpaS-PF06Udb8bNWZOU9joxCXrkjzVI8WOzprPTqdrmqExLKwYsVxkiPRkmLimr-COWmhXU2_rMjehH77OA_axbeEe/s1011/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Wau%20Officer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWKrS0pN0qm5tpYed8RasPhpWDKjJaK8ZuG_rr-byNdqF6Er2Rs4STljp4zFJOzAGo-x7-baXl3n7P0pcuXk6e1KDephNi5TvO-rpaS-PF06Udb8bNWZOU9joxCXrkjzVI8WOzprPTqdrmqExLKwYsVxkiPRkmLimr-COWmhXU2_rMjehH77OA_axbeEe/w422-h640/Tenchi%20Muyo_Galaxy%20Police-Wau%20Officer.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>AD</div><div>Barking Alien</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-65345707176471692182024-03-07T21:54:00.003-05:002024-03-07T22:39:25.307-05:00Devastator Cannon Irradiation to Warp Gate...Fire!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Welcome to the far future universe of...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Uv7DXjC2wWUULNNmDlevcvnxWtpcTlZ3PRihcVzW-XqlScfAuZBNmYArsfaU0TnnZBytDjDVtpL5_oeUwDTXqAoqQj8oPMmu6IbmubFU4DWReZA0bSAcT3yZAcin5RB3-CKVZAtO_Jw1lnGJxC-9Fhv1InYk2kiJ1YqIvI4NSLkkMMJaKlV1-NT8AUYJ/s888/Space%20Ship%20Story_Cover%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="629" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Uv7DXjC2wWUULNNmDlevcvnxWtpcTlZ3PRihcVzW-XqlScfAuZBNmYArsfaU0TnnZBytDjDVtpL5_oeUwDTXqAoqQj8oPMmu6IbmubFU4DWReZA0bSAcT3yZAcin5RB3-CKVZAtO_Jw1lnGJxC-9Fhv1InYk2kiJ1YqIvI4NSLkkMMJaKlV1-NT8AUYJ/w454-h640/Space%20Ship%20Story_Cover%20Art.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">February, the traditionally emotionally charged month of utter chaos for me was emotionally charged and filled with utter chaos this year. Who could have predicted this? Who I ask you?!?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, now that that's over...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Space Ship Story</span></b> is a Japanese Space Opera TRPG written by game designer 'Hatta' (obviously a pen name) and distributed by Dato Honpo, a small, independent publisher. In an unusual move by a Japanese TRPG company, Dato Honpo made both a Physical Version and a PDF/Electronic Version available upon release. </span><span>I was so intrigued by the ad copy for this game that I bought the PDF back in 2021 when it was on sale on </span><a href="https://conos.jp/"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Conos</span></a><span> (the Japanese equivalent of DriveThruRPG). . </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, I had neither the ability nor time to dedicate myself to fully translating the game and having so many side projects (as I always do), Space Ship Story fell by the wayside. Recently, thanks to improved access to Japanese language translation programs, helpful native speakers, and Japanese websites where they transcribe 'actual play' sessions, I have been able to get a mostly complete understanding of this very neat little RPG. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's a rundown...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vQY16waLkiehkR2KBZexrUySDs5uPhprb9pAlXKaAfDkLK8GaceryZdgCIR7ocNjZBa6kIAMuDp2BgN5Y4BqiQCchZllWdoc9Y04-51HNx03K-hQSRBcqcNJaKoznJlCjoNQNILiLTDhhejQRxnNqHxq4Ww8I9ymQ8wsewxe1jMDilO0fRYRLwCm1FCC/s1469/Epic%20Space%20Battlecruiser%201_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vQY16waLkiehkR2KBZexrUySDs5uPhprb9pAlXKaAfDkLK8GaceryZdgCIR7ocNjZBa6kIAMuDp2BgN5Y4BqiQCchZllWdoc9Y04-51HNx03K-hQSRBcqcNJaKoznJlCjoNQNILiLTDhhejQRxnNqHxq4Ww8I9ymQ8wsewxe1jMDilO0fRYRLwCm1FCC/w522-h640/Epic%20Space%20Battlecruiser%201_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="522" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Setting</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At some point in the distant future Humanity has spread out into space and colonized numerous planets. Eventually, an all-powerful <b>Galactic Empire </b>was founded that controlled countless worlds with its tyrannical outlook and fantastic technology. It was the victim of its own hubris however when its scientists invented and tested a Time Machine. The activation of this device twisted and snapped the Time/Space Continuum, causing bizarre anomalies and making FTL travel nearly impossible for centuries. The Galactic Empire collapsed as a result. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, a literally unknown number of years later when time and memory finally had meaning once again, interstellar commerce, law enforcement, and many other interactions between the various peoples of the stars are handled by the <b>Galactic Trade Association</b>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByrQ0VI1uqcrHDs4Q0qSqxXQb4Jkj5iZJEU9b41ie2lOETJhP42KIu4eXhfq883YdNmDICZRFsT8jkyunjtOJq3lvwYEYQN8KsKiySC9jgm07Ju6KSmg2iPNQK6UNbsq6tCRRhZv2Cl_ZxpOB8ZNKSIoUfEAStDyMbucLxzJTqvSP4_qQwilJGKNJL04y/s795/Space%20Ship%20Story%20Emblem%203-GTA%20System.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="795" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByrQ0VI1uqcrHDs4Q0qSqxXQb4Jkj5iZJEU9b41ie2lOETJhP42KIu4eXhfq883YdNmDICZRFsT8jkyunjtOJq3lvwYEYQN8KsKiySC9jgm07Ju6KSmg2iPNQK6UNbsq6tCRRhZv2Cl_ZxpOB8ZNKSIoUfEAStDyMbucLxzJTqvSP4_qQwilJGKNJL04y/w400-h393/Space%20Ship%20Story%20Emblem%203-GTA%20System.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Emblem for the Galactic Trade Association by me.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Although the GTA began restoring major trade routes, there are still unexplored areas of space on the outskirts facing attacks by pirates, invading aliens, and remaining Imperial holdouts. In order to investigate these regions of danger, the Galactic Trade Association sought a daredevil new profession, the Adventurer! Adventurers are beings willing to brave the long lost and unexplored planets of Outer Space in hopes of bringing peace and prosperity to the cosmos. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Mechanics</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>The game works as follows: </span><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">Judgement rolls are made by rolling two
6-sided dice (2D6), adding a character’s relevant Ability Score to an appropriate Skill and adding any modification from Equipment or Location (see below). The goal is to meet or beat a
Target Number determined by the difficulty of the action as determined by the
Gamemaster. Pretty simple and classic RPG faire, right?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">A natural roll of a 7 indicates a Critical effect (referred to in the rules as <b>Critical 7</b>). If the total of the roll beats the Target Number you have a <b>Critical Success</b> on your hands. If you don't meet the target difficulty it becomes a <b>Critical Failure</b>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">PCs have a resource called <b>Singularity</b>, a sort of 'Hero Point' that turns any roll into a Critical Success. Every Player Character starts each session with 1 and can be awarded additional Singularity points during play. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-size: medium;"> Characters</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">There are</span><span face="Arial Nova, sans-serif"> eight Character Classes: <b>Fighter</b> (Close Combat), <b>Gunner</b> (Ranged Combat), <b>Tank</b> (Able to take a lot of damage), <b>Scout</b> (A sort of Rogue/Ninja type), <b>Tech</b> (Engineer/Mad Scientist), <b>Officer</b> (Leader/Coordinator), <b>Psycho</b> (A being with Psychic Powers), and <b>Neighbor</b> (a Non-Human. An Alien or Robot PC).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWSuwRDZYAW68kh8gOdqJpuqwmXRj5qeAqS5lFtPAWdKVFtJ0IQr2OLTQVcCiVQTTQqIOfMQ77nwTv6fNGtIGDZd9HshRHvfnEZ_UJW3HGTjiCVbt_CBWno8rfFzIm2GhEh351OLQXpF-rHT94nYJMcNRM1_e0KKbDpZO9dEWT1FhZ1CIRR1nWiKqtnUm/s1480/Classes%201-Space%20Ship%20Story.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1480" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWSuwRDZYAW68kh8gOdqJpuqwmXRj5qeAqS5lFtPAWdKVFtJ0IQr2OLTQVcCiVQTTQqIOfMQ77nwTv6fNGtIGDZd9HshRHvfnEZ_UJW3HGTjiCVbt_CBWno8rfFzIm2GhEh351OLQXpF-rHT94nYJMcNRM1_e0KKbDpZO9dEWT1FhZ1CIRR1nWiKqtnUm/w640-h380/Classes%201-Space%20Ship%20Story.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fighter, Gunner, Tank, Scout.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial Nova, sans-serif">The player picks two Class and combines the Ability Scores on the Class 'Template' to get your Ability Score Set. You can also choose the same Class twice and double down on your character type is you desire.</span><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"> In addition to Ability Scores, each Class gives the PC a Class '<b>Special Skill</b>' and gives them access to a variety of <b>Class Skills</b> that you can pick from, most of which aren't really skills so much as special talents or feats. You can also take skills from a collection of Support Skills. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQjZqLL41D0QrZ5MYdto375Iu4SBPkyjGsnuhx65iTHVNlHBdhqFhsU13495xjrMklEj1Aabqd2EowtupKV8OtqKCdz4ePzYKDEhwKpa8XSmpLXFfXE0iGSr6cEOwC1ciMebRmAzHOgssS_8sCHBM9ziFUdynMw-hcQx_9hX127qltHpB8EDEkmOpstpX/s1649/Classes%202-Space%20Ship%20Story.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1649" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQjZqLL41D0QrZ5MYdto375Iu4SBPkyjGsnuhx65iTHVNlHBdhqFhsU13495xjrMklEj1Aabqd2EowtupKV8OtqKCdz4ePzYKDEhwKpa8XSmpLXFfXE0iGSr6cEOwC1ciMebRmAzHOgssS_8sCHBM9ziFUdynMw-hcQx_9hX127qltHpB8EDEkmOpstpX/w640-h316/Classes%202-Space%20Ship%20Story.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Neighbor (Robot), Tech, Officer, Psycho, and Neighbor (Alien).</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Arial Nova", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">The whole concept is both really easy and pretty intuitive. Want to make a Jedi Knight? Fighter + Psycho. Starfleet Engineer? Maybe Officer + Tech. A friend of mine used Tech + Neighbor to create an R2-D2/Astromech type robot. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">In addition to your two Class Skills (one for each Class chosen) you pick 5 additional skills which, as mentioned above, are comprised of Class and Support Skills. You must have at least one Class Skill and one Support Skill but other than that, any combination is allowed. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">For example, you could have:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN01EoziGr1V7r1e5cgsMkFDthPwtKSNs8nCi6mpMNMiZqKMhVp-bTU3KRBFLpM6QZVqKx1bcOiFPbhl4KwtD98NJpfP5wbiNMwi0FgaZbnCgxCOCxXUeEscIm-cGVH_kuQkubXToljDtvnqHEw-8YqQw0FF_6azweNYIxh4A9UVI5wylzXGaHkeGLmqZ/s788/Player%20Character%20Skill%20Sets%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="788" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN01EoziGr1V7r1e5cgsMkFDthPwtKSNs8nCi6mpMNMiZqKMhVp-bTU3KRBFLpM6QZVqKx1bcOiFPbhl4KwtD98NJpfP5wbiNMwi0FgaZbnCgxCOCxXUeEscIm-cGVH_kuQkubXToljDtvnqHEw-8YqQw0FF_6azweNYIxh4A9UVI5wylzXGaHkeGLmqZ/w640-h250/Player%20Character%20Skill%20Sets%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After getting your skills together, the PC grabs some <b>Equipment</b>. Equipment comes in three forms: <b>Items</b>, <b>Weapons</b>, and <b>Armor</b>. A PC may have as many Items as their Intelligence Score and as much Weapons and Armor as their Body +2. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's jump over to the game's namesake element...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Spaceships</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In the tradition of many prior Space Opera TRPGs, your group's Spaceship is their home, means of travel, best weapon and defense, and heck, practically a member of the family. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapNqQBNacUv0M7HRinIXiGucoggxfCeg7f9fbto0HMNT2291dc2WldE8rHCSl53pK52OgDleSJmQdxB4HJ4beeLokQS791k55UAqXvp9JIcHVyC_3A1WWOnTJuw_R14ri6IbjzLP_TY7DrqXCjn6R9CyXJFpdg5uG_GmYeKYzir97nuzOtXpVRLk6gk6x/s1073/Independent%20Space%20Cruiser%201-Components_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1073" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapNqQBNacUv0M7HRinIXiGucoggxfCeg7f9fbto0HMNT2291dc2WldE8rHCSl53pK52OgDleSJmQdxB4HJ4beeLokQS791k55UAqXvp9JIcHVyC_3A1WWOnTJuw_R14ri6IbjzLP_TY7DrqXCjn6R9CyXJFpdg5uG_GmYeKYzir97nuzOtXpVRLk6gk6x/w640-h524/Independent%20Space%20Cruiser%201-Components_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Each player gets to decide on two components that are installed on their crew's Spaceship. These items are derived from a list of 16 'parts' that give benefits/bonuses to the PCs when on board or when fighting ship-to-ship battles. You can have things like a Medical Pod that can restore Body and Mental Power or a Prison/Brig capable of holding a captured Space Pirate or Monster. Other choices include Dining Room/Mess Hall, Library, and a Virtual Theatre. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As an aside, FTL Travel is achieved in an interesting way in the Space Ship Story 'setting'; a big tube on the front of your vessel (reminiscent of the <a href="https://yamato.fandom.com/wiki/Wave-motion_Gun_(OS)"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Wave Motion Gun</span></a> from Space Battleship Yamato), known as a <b>Devastator Cannon</b>, fires a beam so powerful it tears a whole in Space/Time. How's that for epic? The starship then travels through the wormhole it created and fires again to re-enter our reality.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Crew, Followers, and other NPCs</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">NPCs and how they are handled in the game is an element I find particularly interesting. During an interview with the game's creator, Mr. Hatta, he mentioned that one of the key inspirations for the game was an idea he had for '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Piece"><span style="color: #04ff00;">One Piece</span></a> in Space'. In each Space Ship Story scenario you are expected to meet at least one NPC that becomes or is revealed to be an enemy, an ally, a old acquaintance, or even a new crew member. Think about that last one. It means that not only are the PCs likely to be picking up NPC followers along the way but this concept creates a built in way to add new players to your campaign with relative ease.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Gamemaster Tools</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are some really intriguing bits here but I haven't completely finished translating this section. There are pages covering scenario and villain design, as well a really neat idea called Master Points.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">These points, based on the number of PCs and their overall experience level, can be spent by the GM to perform certain 'cheat code' actions. It seems a little like Threat from Star Trek Adventures [and other 2D20 system games]. Examples include spending 1 MP to re-roll an NPC's Judgement Roll or to create a '<b>Singularity</b>' Critical Success.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>In closing...</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Space Ship Story feels like something I myself might have created. While all the parts fit together like a well made <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpla"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Gunpla</span></a> model, its really an expertly assembled kitbash. The individual parts seem to have come from a bunch of other kits and then reworked to form a cohesive new product. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Character Creation rules resemble the Templates of Last Unicorn Games' Star Trek RPG (the ICON System). The basic die mechanic is essentially classic Traveller. The Master Points remind me of Threat from Star Trek Adventures as noted above. It has a Drama/Hero Point mechanic, albeit with a twist. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I am honestly loving this game. It just works. It's fun. The combination of one of my favorite approaches to Character Creation with the really cool way the game treats the Spaceship has totally won me over. I also see it having a lot of potential to work with other genres. For example, this approach to Classes would make for much more enticing Fantasy Characters, at least for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That's all for now. More to come...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRZMkDQB0XewJpWKRiD3ynQOfaNrKOQt3MYWQEYogN5Kf7vFe767oMZiFPv1gV9MI0_NBjt9EzJm6kQUHV5yYamasfrcTa15KDuIJ60MnV2SPUn9VDaGybUNjgxaaXCz5MJs_ZhOteMDzHjfo0hR0OBTFmZ2DthP25XPqWO0GqZzRiQWOgq_fXFtkDLJy/s1424/Space%20Ship%20Story_Alternate%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="822" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRZMkDQB0XewJpWKRiD3ynQOfaNrKOQt3MYWQEYogN5Kf7vFe767oMZiFPv1gV9MI0_NBjt9EzJm6kQUHV5yYamasfrcTa15KDuIJ60MnV2SPUn9VDaGybUNjgxaaXCz5MJs_ZhOteMDzHjfo0hR0OBTFmZ2DthP25XPqWO0GqZzRiQWOgq_fXFtkDLJy/w370-h640/Space%20Ship%20Story_Alternate%20Cover.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">I would like to acknowledge the passing of the immeasurably talented and influential </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Toriyama"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Akira Toriyama</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;">, the creator of Dr. Slump, Dragonball, and Dragonball Z. Mr. Toriyama died on March 1st at the age of 68.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Rest in Peace.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l-ZG5tuaOCAopxpwXOZI1XZWUAXKSSu4m6xdUGs3_AQJCGf7owBIwfcPoJegoXs9NyHrbaKBUZghdh6palSUaLG9jcJFPx8dfsvcnLHEO1BguvX8M2OPNo6EIkgIa2BLt-Mk44XY1P-0-xOPALCuW3vco8181djcDW_8O_enKX5nRLIi-Jr6yvqmf3co/s1293/Akira%20Toriyama-Rest%20in%20Peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="1293" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l-ZG5tuaOCAopxpwXOZI1XZWUAXKSSu4m6xdUGs3_AQJCGf7owBIwfcPoJegoXs9NyHrbaKBUZghdh6palSUaLG9jcJFPx8dfsvcnLHEO1BguvX8M2OPNo6EIkgIa2BLt-Mk44XY1P-0-xOPALCuW3vco8181djcDW_8O_enKX5nRLIi-Jr6yvqmf3co/w586-h308/Akira%20Toriyama-Rest%20in%20Peace.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjqJyMb7vRFiNHpMjI9tpvBTm66JSih3CYmqq9hhvjkus6EuY4Z68vrWYPOy3gDnHmfjHpfYqODg0q1YoSunYh6BwdzkOZkm_6OIseAGNxQk9YDT6XdEVNJDmbpo1-qduSw_qPx4l9fPKOs-nW4GjJaWo1Xe56U9B5Qxtzw8eN1m1tGfarv5EQxh-ZzWx/s2048/Dragonball%20Z-Final%20Volume%2042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1883" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjqJyMb7vRFiNHpMjI9tpvBTm66JSih3CYmqq9hhvjkus6EuY4Z68vrWYPOy3gDnHmfjHpfYqODg0q1YoSunYh6BwdzkOZkm_6OIseAGNxQk9YDT6XdEVNJDmbpo1-qduSw_qPx4l9fPKOs-nW4GjJaWo1Xe56U9B5Qxtzw8eN1m1tGfarv5EQxh-ZzWx/w588-h640/Dragonball%20Z-Final%20Volume%2042.jpg" width="588" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-57001525043736701272024-02-11T19:31:00.004-05:002024-03-09T19:22:39.411-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - ICHIKO YORUHIME<p><span style="font-family: arial;">While going through my old RPG notes and files for the 31 Day Character Challenge I came across a folder on my computer containing information on a Japanese TRPG I hadn't thought about in a long while: <b>The Adventures of Horai Academy!!</b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd forgotten how much I fricking love this game! In celebration of rediscovering an old favorite, I thought I'd honor HA with a 31/31 write-up of my favorite character from the one and only campaign I've run of it (so far)...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKhft5CJSZMG8MVzifRYhUWnyw0nLU5aF2fT3-fZraNT6gblynE-NhUPLp5iNZnroCxYRJ0p8imzlW1iNE6tqAC9JhdbjSMWg2dXXODZ4QrxyFOPxyDcqZbzGuHMrDgES_3JINGDmQBD2LMajTbZ_TWNXIh-R9bIdqP9EtRkkUHpgO04RCph8UADLEDJN/s650/Ichiko%20Yoruhime-Portrait_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="523" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKhft5CJSZMG8MVzifRYhUWnyw0nLU5aF2fT3-fZraNT6gblynE-NhUPLp5iNZnroCxYRJ0p8imzlW1iNE6tqAC9JhdbjSMWg2dXXODZ4QrxyFOPxyDcqZbzGuHMrDgES_3JINGDmQBD2LMajTbZ_TWNXIh-R9bIdqP9EtRkkUHpgO04RCph8UADLEDJN/w373-h465/Ichiko%20Yoruhime-Portrait_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Character: </b><span style="font-family: arial;">Ichiko Yoruhime</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Princess Night, Madame Vice-President</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Erica</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> The Adventures of Horai Academy!!, 1st Edition</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign: </b>The Save The World After School Club</div><div><br /></div><div>To say 'Short Campaign' here is a bit inaccurate, at least by my usual standards. There were about 6 sessions of this game as it was difficult to get the participants together due to scheduling conflicts (See below).</div><div><br /></div><div>It was less a campaign and more like a series of related one-shots. The events of prior sessions were in the continuity of those that followed but often had little bearing on the next adventure. The characters did grow in terms of character/role-play as well as mechanically, though I didn't really explore anyone's backstory as I normally would.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1994</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> Around 1990 I kept seeing ads for The Adventures of Horai Academy! in the Japanese tabletop gaming magazine Fujimi Shobo, Japan's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Magazine_(Fujimi_Shobo)"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Dragon Magazine</span></a>. It was always in the same magazines that featured <a href="http://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2024/01/31-days-31-characters-dee-hoshiyoru.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Cregurian</span></a> ads in them as I recall. I was totally fascinated by these ads, largely thanks to the art, and I eventually discovered the ads were for a Play-by-Mail game (also like Cregurian). </div><div><br /></div><div>About a year or so later a friend who could read Japanese and had similar interests checked out the latest adverstisment with me and we were surprised to learn it was announcing a tabletop RPG based on the PBM. Instead of <i>The Adventures of Horai Academy!</i>, we were looking at <i><b>The Adventures of Horai Academy!!</b></i>. One exclamation point for the PBM and two for the TRPG. I was already in love. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometime in 1994 I was able to get a rough translation of the rules from another friend teaching Japanese and Japanese studies at a private school. I think. It's been a while. Anyway, it wasn't rough in that the translation wasn't accurate but rather in the fact that the rules weren't complete. She didn't translate the entire rulebook but instead she and some of her students worked out the key elements: Character Creation, Basic Background, Judging Actions, and a few other bits. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gathering up a few more players, we decided to try and run a campaign. *Sigh* We never got past 6 sessions. Our lives, the players' lives that is, were all kinds of crazy at the time. We simply couldn't get the gang together easily or all that often. Let me tell you, that sucked. This is a great game, it was a fantastic campaign, and had some seriously wonderful characters. My favorite being Ichiko Yoruhime. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruI_xh0PQrG0WTNbdJ0txA9rRvotJWMxWCqwFyyYfXteNxIZCLDns3WJNIY_P326Bl30kO-bTDALCRIzTM-mYggFvSn69tK8dpVeuepWvMMJvksyjaSGmohysOiU-j8rJknp4VOeSE6u5Elqpq8h9QBDWVnt5J4k-kY1Hagkv1WrHfsFCg15q4kNxwAYL/s3736/The%20Adventures%20of%20Horai%20Academy-1st%20Editionn%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3736" data-original-width="2946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruI_xh0PQrG0WTNbdJ0txA9rRvotJWMxWCqwFyyYfXteNxIZCLDns3WJNIY_P326Bl30kO-bTDALCRIzTM-mYggFvSn69tK8dpVeuepWvMMJvksyjaSGmohysOiU-j8rJknp4VOeSE6u5Elqpq8h9QBDWVnt5J4k-kY1Hagkv1WrHfsFCg15q4kNxwAYL/w504-h640/The%20Adventures%20of%20Horai%20Academy-1st%20Editionn%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> Ichiko Yoruhime (ee-Chee-ko Yo-roo-hee-May) grew up in a suburb of Nagasaki, Japan. As a toddler, Ichiko had an ear infection that turned into a life threatening situation. Thankfully, she survived but ever since she experiences a ringing in her left ear whenever there is a sufficiently loud sound nearby, though it can also be triggered by her own voice if she shouts or screams. She learned to avoid noise and she herself become a generally quiet person. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yes, then they are the voices. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another side effect of her illness and recovery was that Ichiko would periodically hear strange whispers. She practiced listening to them and eventually became convinced they were the voices of the deceased; ghosts chattering away in the shadows. She told her parents and teachers but they chalked it up to her being a lonely child who played by herself and had a vivid imagination. Smart enough to realize telling others would go no where, or worse get her in trouble, Ichiko turned her attention towards investigating and understanding the paranormal all on her own. </div><div><br /></div><div>Open her graduation from middle school, the Yoruhime household received a letter from the exclusive private high school Horai Academy, including a full scholarship to attend and stay at the dormitory. In her second year she joined the Save The World After School Club and at some point in her third year became the club's Vice-President. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNeS2r5K5byCLDNOZoEEZaek_aAp22xja1aYZ-KzLx0QgwTBzxh0_wpYO6ZkChf96VB4yOnP-bMQ4ggxcIr69XXxV1_nod_vk0aOsbSj-kXWmzxj8SPcRTzw5SLCvIo6E3lL167_yUJXqcJOkp_71cWJcdb9TcusIt-c8KVY7mYU79PrYIQxcrhJDr7kc/s505/Horai%20Academy%20Emblem%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="505" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNeS2r5K5byCLDNOZoEEZaek_aAp22xja1aYZ-KzLx0QgwTBzxh0_wpYO6ZkChf96VB4yOnP-bMQ4ggxcIr69XXxV1_nod_vk0aOsbSj-kXWmzxj8SPcRTzw5SLCvIo6E3lL167_yUJXqcJOkp_71cWJcdb9TcusIt-c8KVY7mYU79PrYIQxcrhJDr7kc/w400-h361/Horai%20Academy%20Emblem%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Private High School Horai Academy</span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">School Emblem/Patch</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> The premise of the campaign was simple; the PCs were members of the Save The World After School Club at the prestigious Horai Academy on the island nation of Utsuhojima. Once a week the club would meet and attempt to thwart the would-be world conquering organization known as HAVOC. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rules indicate that each Player Character can have between 1 and 4 clubs, so we decided the Save The World After School Club had to be on everyone's list of extracurricular activities. The clubs' meetings would constitute the game sessions (referred to hereafter as Episodes). Skills and knowledge obtained from ones other clubs would assist the group by giving each PC a different field of expertise when facing off against HAVOC's nefarious schemes. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the first two episodes, the STWAS Club had an NPC President with one of the PCs serving as Vice-President. Starting in Episode 3, the NPC had graduated and the PC Vice-President was now the club President. The players voted for Ichiko to be the Vice-President.</div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to both the player and the character being a quick thinker and very clever, Yoruhime contributed quite a lot to the club's various missions. She was an excellent detective, often went unnoticed by teachers and fellow students, and was knowledgeable about the supernatural. She could even cast a few spells.</div><div><br /></div><div>The player described her as 'a combination of Scooby-Doo's Velma Dinkley and DC Comics' John Constantine'.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Highlights:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Ichiko Yoruhime was a surprisingly layered and nuanced character. She was played as intelligent, very capable, yet realistically flawed. Her childhood experiences and odd abilities made her feel a step removed from the rest of the world and a smidge closer to the hereafter than is common for the living. Ichiko hadn't died from the infection of her early years but came back to the world with the ability to hear the dead. Why? What is it all mean? Was she supposed to have died and somehow cheated the reaper? Did the Kami send her back as a representative to speak for the forgotten? </div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't get the chance to delve deep into these questions but Erica, the player, always had them running through her mind when portraying Yoruhime. This game the character a distant, 'lost in thought' or distracted look. She was often 'in her own world', focused on deciphering a lost runic language or trying to figure out a spell or opening enchanted locks. She was not anti-social but nor was she social. She made friend but often by accident, never going out of her way to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div>She was also great at solving mysteries, casting incantations, or charging in to help with a smart and quickly formed plan. Her being completely oblivious to social niceties, romantic intentions, and other heavy emotions didn't mean she was ineffective in the game. Her benefits obvious, her flaws more subtle. Watching Erica play as Ichiko was like watching an extremely well written Anime with a highly talented voice actor. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherexnwKPCLLlA1xSwEzqjzWz4HIEn3T9h7TUJCtt-iXk8OUBeY1K4uk4JniB3hdhivEoVDuaC3JJ9kaY7bG4QrobMXscyI8hcBcmDh2s0qnN_5MaWdaLVrZg-I00wxxK2V1WFfspETj12Gy6_hUV7_UIy7AkBOLKZaAJ299bE_ajTP4_bgVuMQttYmFPC/s1024/Utsuhojima-Map%20of%20the%20Island_Basic%20Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="840" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherexnwKPCLLlA1xSwEzqjzWz4HIEn3T9h7TUJCtt-iXk8OUBeY1K4uk4JniB3hdhivEoVDuaC3JJ9kaY7bG4QrobMXscyI8hcBcmDh2s0qnN_5MaWdaLVrZg-I00wxxK2V1WFfspETj12Gy6_hUV7_UIy7AkBOLKZaAJ299bE_ajTP4_bgVuMQttYmFPC/w526-h640/Utsuhojima-Map%20of%20the%20Island_Basic%20Map.jpg" width="526" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">The independent island nation of <b>Utsuhojima</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is Ichiko Yoruhime's Character Sheet based on a translation of the sheet for the unofficial Doujinshi 3rd Edition of The Adventures of Horai Academy!! that came out in 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div>The information and numbers are based on the aforementioned latest version of the game and written up as if she were a starting PC. The reason for this is that I was testing out the new character creation system and might want to use her as an NPC when I run the game in the future. If I had the original Character Sheet for Ichiko it would should a few raised scores and other adjustments.</div><div> </div><div>Her Date of Birth is based on the character in the original campaign and would of course have to be changed if using her in a contemporary game.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oa900t2MqlkYFruMLAaTxGjX-TLzXlYGzwojtETHusbtj1KeDDMQ84tsS5chu6mMc2_py81z7Icuv0uoXYfMF9GGOiOCNdjYFvVbKFMYQreGu_BxyueAxkhKVCTipAs7wh2v58DrEeYrCm5h9g_BW0kD8c07qnY5Xs_FSl6YJYzGfG9SO_CPrKfbxE60/s1376/Horai%20Academy%20Character%20Sheet_AD-Ichiko%20Yoruhime.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="957" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oa900t2MqlkYFruMLAaTxGjX-TLzXlYGzwojtETHusbtj1KeDDMQ84tsS5chu6mMc2_py81z7Icuv0uoXYfMF9GGOiOCNdjYFvVbKFMYQreGu_BxyueAxkhKVCTipAs7wh2v58DrEeYrCm5h9g_BW0kD8c07qnY5Xs_FSl6YJYzGfG9SO_CPrKfbxE60/w446-h640/Horai%20Academy%20Character%20Sheet_AD-Ichiko%20Yoruhime.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>The Advantages and Disadvantages in the 'Notes' section are a new addition to the game that weren't in the older version I ran. I updated Yoruhime to the current rules, adapting many of her talents and personality quirks using these bonus favorable and unfavorable elements. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Regarding Hideout and Sewer Tribe: Yoruhime found an abandoned office and set of rooms in an unused part of the sewer tunnels behind the school. She converted the office into her own private study for occult research. She is quite familiar with the Horai Academy sewers and can use them as a short cut in some instances.</div><div><br /></div><div>Though largely invisible to most people (See below), Ichiko definitely knows how to get everyone's attention. When frustrated at being ignored or just desperately needing to communicate vital information, she will slam one of her heavy [, likely cursed] books against a table or wall and simply but loudly says, 'Listen here'. Ichiko gets the attention of everyone in earshot, though it usually causes her a little in pain and a ringing in her own ear. </div><div><br /></div><div>Using the Nickname/Username 'Princess Night', Ichiko interacts with other paranormal enthusiasts on Horai Academy's secret internet message boards. This was inspired by the RPGs Cyberpunk 2013 and Shadowrun. Most people do not know who Princess Night is.</div><div><br /></div><div>Clever and intelligent as she is, Ichiko is a bit of a Thrill Seeker but will never admit to it. As soon as danger appears, Yoruhime runs right at it. The player made the character seem brave but also tragic and dark when she reveals she charges into trouble to save the people she deems are more deserving of life then she is (which seems to be almost everyone in her eyes). </div><div><br /></div><div>This leads to Unimpressive. Ichiko Yoruhime is often overlooked, with people walking by her and hardly noticing she was there at all. In fact, when Ichiko does interact with people, the majority of them don't call their original meeting and often can't recognize her face from their previous encounter. This is partially self-induced; Ichiko goes out of her way to stay quiet and prefers to be alone. Her odd ability to hear phantom voices gives her an off-putting vibe.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Notes:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Ichiko is a female Japanese name meaning 'First Child' or more specifically 'First Daughter'. </div><div>Yoru means 'Night', while 'Hime' means 'Princess'. Her family name is therefore Night</div><div> Princess.</div><div><br /></div><div>As noted above, Ichiko as a Player Character was both role-play heavy AND action/combat effective. Often these days it seems like players think you can only create a character who is one or the other. Erica proved that isn't the case.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I haven't really addressed up until now is the fact that the campaign had definite Romantic Comedy undertones. Most of the comedy centered on the preposterous nature of Horai Academy and its students, as well as the insane plots of HAVOC. All were over-the-top, needlessly complex, and/or too dependent on everything going 'just so'. The main members of the group were intelligent and capable but also prone to in-fighting and chasing their own agendas. </div><div><br /></div><div>The female leader of HAVOC had eyes for our PC Club President. He in turn becomes increasingly interested in Ichiko. She doesn't register this at all until about Episode 4 or 5 when he dances with her as a way to move through an extravagant party. The two also team-up a couple times before and after this, with each coming to the other rescue in different situations. Our Ninja guy was kind of interested in the Tomboy/Sports Fanatic but she was interested in an NPC, the sister of one of the villains. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's revealed in Episode 4 that HAVOC stands for Horai Academy Villainy Club. They're a club that meets once a week on the same day as the Save The World After School Club and tries to conquer the planet.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Well now...</div><div><br /></div><div>This post was long and I'm really sorry about that but honestly it's taken me days to edit the original version. Seriously, I could've easily written a lot more. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having recently rekindled my interest in this game and after pouring over the fan made Third Edition, I am INCREDIBLY excited to try running it again. I haven't felt this inspired or excited about a new game in a long while. The real trick, as with many of my favorite niche games, will be finding a group that 'gets it'. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKqNfH73lEzEPvlZhgn4hXKVuKVIJ4rzrRCduTT9pgpuWqqV-Drp7s41CsaOqP14NdGcWuaeojoAOsKGUfD0RTSBii5bDg8lirqeHxFzGNskbBg2f9fswfkOhcCB1UpuFReuGpx5p7pALlGQSwjDUMtYHahPmNw0ytXSQNPncXfXAoltZkvdSRlyVCPeN/s897/Ichiko%20Yoruhime-Full%20Figure_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="658" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKqNfH73lEzEPvlZhgn4hXKVuKVIJ4rzrRCduTT9pgpuWqqV-Drp7s41CsaOqP14NdGcWuaeojoAOsKGUfD0RTSBii5bDg8lirqeHxFzGNskbBg2f9fswfkOhcCB1UpuFReuGpx5p7pALlGQSwjDUMtYHahPmNw0ytXSQNPncXfXAoltZkvdSRlyVCPeN/w470-h640/Ichiko%20Yoruhime-Full%20Figure_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>We shall see. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now...put your hands on your head and step away from the bioengineered adorable mascot spaceship! You're under arrest and <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">JIN'HOKO</span></b> of the Galaxy Police is going to read you your rights!</div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-87485608801720335552024-02-10T01:03:00.002-05:002024-02-10T01:09:20.504-05:00Dragon Dance! <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Gong Hei Fat Choi!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q1fpzngDDDZfqeUf6FUZ91uGs2r3P4xhONLhEK8wtJ-nEaKPgw0xbN7IsDJqmmLp0hJDk7mdkExDR02U-1lPddRELxD9uRb35wfNZlmZu0r_CP05ZPUqA4wHSxjDg8wqEW3iSqkM9GcGgL75nCUXrZ-3FdShREFXGhRQ8uS2PRbDhPN2TtqRe2rcqQfc/s980/Year%20of%20the%20Dragon_2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="824" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q1fpzngDDDZfqeUf6FUZ91uGs2r3P4xhONLhEK8wtJ-nEaKPgw0xbN7IsDJqmmLp0hJDk7mdkExDR02U-1lPddRELxD9uRb35wfNZlmZu0r_CP05ZPUqA4wHSxjDg8wqEW3iSqkM9GcGgL75nCUXrZ-3FdShREFXGhRQ8uS2PRbDhPN2TtqRe2rcqQfc/w538-h640/Year%20of%20the%20Dragon_2024.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wow but there are a lot of ways to write that! Each of China's regional languages and their variants has a different way of pronouncing and spelling the phrase, which literally translates to 'Wishing You Prosperity'.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I tend to go with the Cantonese pronunciation I've been most exposed to. Sometimes I spell 'Choi' as 'Choy' but generally I use the same phrase the same way every year. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This year is extra cool for us geeky gamer types as it is the Year of the Dragon and Dragons are pretty damn cool.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFCJk3p7OMsVHB9LeuW4MGI46fRA_S_n7kQQeOEl81kPLVYdso07H5zWrX6k_27BK1yqtL8JVa31bBBLUNBfdTI0B1akyDm2wlA0cxa5d9BHPs6Yy3GhuEf_ZAbEx1BGR05Rd8p4g3v8b1AOzuthALN1Es2chSIHC0U2x1JzwsBGSKPc6CnMe8J4Pasww/s1333/Year%20of%20the%20Dragon%20Girl_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="857" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFCJk3p7OMsVHB9LeuW4MGI46fRA_S_n7kQQeOEl81kPLVYdso07H5zWrX6k_27BK1yqtL8JVa31bBBLUNBfdTI0B1akyDm2wlA0cxa5d9BHPs6Yy3GhuEf_ZAbEx1BGR05Rd8p4g3v8b1AOzuthALN1Es2chSIHC0U2x1JzwsBGSKPc6CnMe8J4Pasww/w412-h640/Year%20of%20the%20Dragon%20Girl_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="412" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy Lunar New Year everyone!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-20418716534484050552024-02-04T12:09:00.004-05:002024-02-19T20:49:00.590-05:00Take A Walk on the Wild Side<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The country that gave us <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/search/label/MAID"><span style="color: #04ff00;">MAID</span></a> and <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/search/label/Kill%20Death%20Business"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Kill Death Business</span></a> is clearly no stranger to weird RPGs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-p5pHGIZZW-M5hoxJ8Ef5YExbdFel2p5zoXLyECrG8uajrOkmSxRfy59DkxL5wNOU5fTpuDpV7KVMNVkTisZ4Yr0NkZHQRWDYXlgM9ESiL91MDPuj6uNCVkj8ZK7b8f53Cvn3eS6mlbCvNhR4jqrNe4Muni41h6dPizk_ScGEC2rXY5IbYDBHOdOrCiZ/s1270/Movie%20Rating-Batshit%20Crazy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="1270" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-p5pHGIZZW-M5hoxJ8Ef5YExbdFel2p5zoXLyECrG8uajrOkmSxRfy59DkxL5wNOU5fTpuDpV7KVMNVkTisZ4Yr0NkZHQRWDYXlgM9ESiL91MDPuj6uNCVkj8ZK7b8f53Cvn3eS6mlbCvNhR4jqrNe4Muni41h6dPizk_ScGEC2rXY5IbYDBHOdOrCiZ/w640-h240/Movie%20Rating-Batshit%20Crazy.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Strange, high concept Tabletop Roleplaying Games are all the rage in Japan...sort of. They aren't necessarily popular with the majority mainstream TRPG hobbyists - that spot goes to Call of Cthulhu - but they absolutely abound in the fan lead doujinshi market. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Doujinshi RPGs are a major producer of tabletop gaming products, with numerous sites dedicated to selling amateur made games, supplements, scenarios, and (perhaps my favorite concept) 'standing picture material'. The latter are full figure character illustrations that can be used as PCs or NPCs, often accompanied by close-up portraits and/or variations in the character showing alternate clothing or different expressions. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLVf5uEA6jTdB54QfVRWxZqtlED4_baDCej8-sg0GyaxFPHAZECyS6yc4bcrgsCL7wuSZs-orcOTZAgcGw7e1GTZCaSCcfxmO5FvlBxxOBMDVlNOqGsyVcCtxjOnefGnwa-r5qManUdNxrw7Emo3pmVyXdYrqwJ9SeBoe8OR6H_4UoYltnAo3tFdxTNcC/s1080/Old%20Man%20In%20and%20Out%20of%20Hospital_Mob%20NPC%20100%20Vol%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1080" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLVf5uEA6jTdB54QfVRWxZqtlED4_baDCej8-sg0GyaxFPHAZECyS6yc4bcrgsCL7wuSZs-orcOTZAgcGw7e1GTZCaSCcfxmO5FvlBxxOBMDVlNOqGsyVcCtxjOnefGnwa-r5qManUdNxrw7Emo3pmVyXdYrqwJ9SeBoe8OR6H_4UoYltnAo3tFdxTNcC/w640-h520/Old%20Man%20In%20and%20Out%20of%20Hospital_Mob%20NPC%20100%20Vol%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Old Man from Togenkyosha's Mob NPC 100, Vol. 1.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">There are currently 5 'volumes' each with a total of </span><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">100 illustrations</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">including all variations on a character.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like other aspects of doujinshi, you can expect to see unofficial games based on known IPs but more and more you come across really creative original works. In some cases you have games being made by the equivalent of a Creative Commons or Open Gaming License type situation, such as the Saikoro Fiction games in this post. Other times you will have someone produce a completely original, indie game that so impresses the big boys that a major publishing company offers to produce it professionally, as with Kadokawa Corporation and Mamono Scramble. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally, many of these games and their supplements are available in stores. As Japan isn't big on PDFs and e-books yet (they're getting there), the doujinshi games are produced in physical books of good-to-high quality and placed on the shelves of stores that sell Manga, Light Novels, and of course dedicated gaming shops and cafes just like their mainstream cousins. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The inclusion of indie and small press 'amateur' TRPGs in the Japanese game market in such a big way really diversifies the options of a Japanese gamer. It is easy (perhaps even easier than in the West) to get people together to play something other than Lovercraftian Horror or an ampersand game. So jealous. lol</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On to the main event...</span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Mamono Scramble</span></b> </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYuHOX-45OEW0jbCfM36LEvQcmtx4UNe1ibmW29GVZKkkcZ7-ZsugGKoZ736eea4FU3m-aaVUPInRal8VMr9_i2djyrV9cXFKtJzzVWGd5BzmmtylpcgdlcCu04Bs5L1B-4oKrLISt-iObC8eesaG1ALSynXNPvXD2azN3jbta3jCInmmwFJujKuH9bFj/s1000/Mamono%20Scramble_RPG%20Corebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="703" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYuHOX-45OEW0jbCfM36LEvQcmtx4UNe1ibmW29GVZKkkcZ7-ZsugGKoZ736eea4FU3m-aaVUPInRal8VMr9_i2djyrV9cXFKtJzzVWGd5BzmmtylpcgdlcCu04Bs5L1B-4oKrLISt-iObC8eesaG1ALSynXNPvXD2azN3jbta3jCInmmwFJujKuH9bFj/w450-h640/Mamono%20Scramble_RPG%20Corebook.jpg" width="450" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: left;">Throughout Human history there have been people who claimed to have seen ghosts, faeries, and other supernatural beings and phenomenon. No definitive evidence that the paranormal even existed was ever documented until...'The Great Stop'.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One day in the Winter of 2019, everyone in the world closed their eyes at the same time and when they opened them, they could see the monsters all around them. These wonderous and terrifying creatures were just as surprised as we were. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now it's a few years later and a comprise has been reached between Humanity and the bizarre entities that share our world with us. The weird live among us; your dry cleaner is a vampire, the delivery boy is an oni, and that really attractive woman in accounting is very likely a dragon. Unfortunately, not every monster is down with this whole 'living as equals with Humans' thing. In addition, having flaming spectres, giant ogres, and even wilder beasties walking around has its own inherent problems. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kIERA4KRf_BKU4IAs5aHDSwp4_XP9rs56psA8Oy3yURZY4-seZglB2ZzmtFRdmqRycOzC6c5iLyQXnBM2_bwbKZ1EYjnS4wKYdT-Qzr9DZGxqVMl0gHAJpzSOYaid21fWTmiiz7Nw7vcduHdRXauZH8hbfThO4RlcVlilDPcVPMlxiRxbEePXbJQO1da/s1051/Mamono%20Scramble-Sample%20Mamono%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1051" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kIERA4KRf_BKU4IAs5aHDSwp4_XP9rs56psA8Oy3yURZY4-seZglB2ZzmtFRdmqRycOzC6c5iLyQXnBM2_bwbKZ1EYjnS4wKYdT-Qzr9DZGxqVMl0gHAJpzSOYaid21fWTmiiz7Nw7vcduHdRXauZH8hbfThO4RlcVlilDPcVPMlxiRxbEePXbJQO1da/w640-h396/Mamono%20Scramble-Sample%20Mamono%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's where you come in. You are a Mamono, a Non-Human Being, and it's up to you and your tribe (an organized group of friends and/or allies) to help out when your neighbors are in trouble, be they mundane or mythic. Is there a lost Yeti child who can't find their parents? Is an out of control sake-guzzling Yokai loose in Shinjuku? What can we get our friend for her birthday since she's a Polynesian Goddess? It's time to get the gang together and solve this! MAMONO SCRAMBLE! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjHxHN_4WkzqOlxEnJAMHGi9rDHYSLxf3pc-laL6OVJpKhyphenhyphennQsLEw4sawJcu56_g-zhVi-snwnERFwh4n7kCv2AjvhzKWUZ74bqg8-gR8oMXp7TSamUP8b6Mk25o8c03R46KemAzLG8hgYTd5sbMg2DklgIf3LkYQK_6YvRjCjKfrs_0kA4yFnggkAu8X/s1051/Mamono%20Scramble-Sample%20Mamono%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1051" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjHxHN_4WkzqOlxEnJAMHGi9rDHYSLxf3pc-laL6OVJpKhyphenhyphennQsLEw4sawJcu56_g-zhVi-snwnERFwh4n7kCv2AjvhzKWUZ74bqg8-gR8oMXp7TSamUP8b6Mk25o8c03R46KemAzLG8hgYTd5sbMg2DklgIf3LkYQK_6YvRjCjKfrs_0kA4yFnggkAu8X/w640-h396/Mamono%20Scramble-Sample%20Mamono%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This gives you the basic premise and what the PCs do in the game but it only scratches the surface of the world and how scenarios can be played out. Situations can range from heart-warming and humorous to serious and scary. The role of one's 'tribe' and the city of Tokyo itself are just some of the interesting elements of this RPG.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It also features a few intriguing differences from what one tends to see in modern Japanese TRPG design. For one thing it uses D12s instead of the ubiquitous D6s or less common but still very popular D10s. The clearly defined phases and scenario structure popular in many other games is much looser here, as are the skills or 'Characteristics' of the PCs. Mamono characters possess Magic Powers utilizing Mana or 'Spirit Energy'. While these powers have specific rules for their natures and functions, it seems like any characters can take any power. Your form doesn't define what you can do but rather you figure out what you want to be able to do and then describe your form. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am going to be talking about this game again very soon. I'm kind of obsessed with it. Hmm. Maybe I'll make up a Player Character like I did for <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2024/01/31-days-31-characters-far-future-girl.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Deadline Heroes</span></a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Weirdness Factor</span>:</b> 8</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The idea is fairly Japanese, while the execution is VERY Japanese. To run and play a game like this I feel like you'd have to be familiar with the Anime and Manga that cover similar themes. Sadly, those aren't commonly known to a large number of Western gamers. I could be wrong of course and the idea isn't as weird to most people as I think it is. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Desire to Run It</span>:</b> 8-9</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, this game is right up my alley. I actually own a physical copy of this one. I love Chainsaw Man and other 'Monsters Among Us' stories as well as 'Slice of Life' Anime/Manga. Combining them sounds charming, possibly creepy, and potentially really exciting. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Past Future Paradox</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAtBgmsMuqU1O0PBBQTiTW6kH1riqVvp88sLTXAz0if_1Z8UucW1PI6FDD1E0j77nochwi1sd2AFtE0g7gCB1_TyT0oeIPcuplBW9F_8BKN5o3LLc0Tsr-QDe31JKZMkmlBP7ywgYwbbfmDqEH0Pjwefxsq9Rr5oduW_kXOAjjZNv8R-X4jr2gXQOgvWN/s816/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Cover%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="578" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAtBgmsMuqU1O0PBBQTiTW6kH1riqVvp88sLTXAz0if_1Z8UucW1PI6FDD1E0j77nochwi1sd2AFtE0g7gCB1_TyT0oeIPcuplBW9F_8BKN5o3LLc0Tsr-QDe31JKZMkmlBP7ywgYwbbfmDqEH0Pjwefxsq9Rr5oduW_kXOAjjZNv8R-X4jr2gXQOgvWN/w454-h640/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Cover%202.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In this original Time Travel game by TRPG Circle Behavior Judgment Club (just rolls of the tongue don't it?)</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, the players are cast as Time Travelers from one of 6 eras of Earth history who work together to prevent potentially devastating alterations to the Time-Space Continuum. They must be careful however, for as they attempt to maintain the timeline their actions can have detrimental butterfly effects of their own. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRqzuSHxuFdry79mbAHGn0yvzFyyNqzscfKeEIgwYmymzeCqcdbfPKp5fIMmpPb6LlhafOSdGZNQdWFPZY51C-eyL8ELTyYPjPM4K5ulcRHIQJIgjqOH61oEyG9qnqu2Q_lWj_Tk5ezT1axaT1myBb_qWGpEXEShNyb0LLHeRhBt97O-39r8IPoOAGGky/s1370/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Characters%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1370" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRqzuSHxuFdry79mbAHGn0yvzFyyNqzscfKeEIgwYmymzeCqcdbfPKp5fIMmpPb6LlhafOSdGZNQdWFPZY51C-eyL8ELTyYPjPM4K5ulcRHIQJIgjqOH61oEyG9qnqu2Q_lWj_Tk5ezT1axaT1myBb_qWGpEXEShNyb0LLHeRhBt97O-39r8IPoOAGGky/w640-h484/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Characters%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Characters can be from Primitive Times, Ancient Times, Medieval Times, Modern Times...</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How Time Travel is achieved by the PCs and other characters can differ dramatically and from one scenario to the next. Perhaps an alien 'Time Lord' is taking your group on a journey via a Police Box larger on the inside then it is on the outside. Maybe an eccentric scientist has built a Time Machine into a limited edition, rear engine, two-passenger sports car. There is a legend in the mountains of Northern Japan of people disappearing from a natural hot spring only to reappear moments to days later. It's like every book, TV show, and movie Time Travel gimmick exists together. So many possibilities! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7RGwInoZCIOoGsjKC3_laXFHE1PFTUa6cEgkIrpcSFENLQJxiemXDP380MEj7mCBcKT00_lwkbF7UVzhzSya2iaPIipAvvTvuXZH-KM8Zfl9PgUpNUMoPFRIg8oRfurrDhgJBbC4PFhxiqtG8OdTJELxQ41OI348p2GnvqJRSERWUFyrTG2MZx0uRp4Y/s1370/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Characters%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1370" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7RGwInoZCIOoGsjKC3_laXFHE1PFTUa6cEgkIrpcSFENLQJxiemXDP380MEj7mCBcKT00_lwkbF7UVzhzSya2iaPIipAvvTvuXZH-KM8Zfl9PgUpNUMoPFRIg8oRfurrDhgJBbC4PFhxiqtG8OdTJELxQ41OI348p2GnvqJRSERWUFyrTG2MZx0uRp4Y/w640-h484/Past%20Future%20Paradox-Time%20Travel%20RPG_Characters%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">...The Super Information Age, and The Space Age.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Right Top: The Big Bang Goddess</div><div style="text-align: center;">Right Bottom: The Ruler of Time</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In addition, the setting has an interesting 'cosmology'. There is a female entity known as 'The Big Bang Goddess' who may or not be the universe itself. It is she who allows Time Travel to occur but also blesses those who travel with positive intentions. She is countered by Chronos, the self-proclaimed 'Ruler of Time', who seeks to twist history to his own purposes. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The game uses the Saikoro Fiction (Dice Fiction) system but like all the RPGs that utilize these mechanics the rules differ slightly to customize things for the premise and setting in question. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Weirdness Factor</span>:</b> 6</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps the least bizarre game in this post. What's crazy is that we in the West didn't think of this game first!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Desire to Run It</span>:</b> 6-7</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love the idea and it sounds super cool but I need to learn more about the rules before I can give it serious thought. Also, I see it as better for a series of one-shots or a short campaign. Time Travel is often tricky to maintain over a long...um, heh...period of time. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">The Adventures of Horai Academy!!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ka70fSGWL-m42vUfoZO2g9QKlmfswZjyifjX95VTSuBUKYCgStuhJDJWSb3rGKSlaaAzbEVldgwRyZEUiYsI5K4RZbqonuH61859KWeNPX5kj2NUtkF1cIgknjpoySGpNzKVCFH8NBhBKuca6TxV4W4r_yrX51eqkBqIIDFYaWMdu4LUaSRen1cf0O_L/s3736/The%20Adventures%20of%20Horai%20Academy-1st%20Editionn%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3736" data-original-width="2946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ka70fSGWL-m42vUfoZO2g9QKlmfswZjyifjX95VTSuBUKYCgStuhJDJWSb3rGKSlaaAzbEVldgwRyZEUiYsI5K4RZbqonuH61859KWeNPX5kj2NUtkF1cIgknjpoySGpNzKVCFH8NBhBKuca6TxV4W4r_yrX51eqkBqIIDFYaWMdu4LUaSRen1cf0O_L/w504-h640/The%20Adventures%20of%20Horai%20Academy-1st%20Editionn%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Adventures of Horai Academy! (note the use of only 1 exclamation point!) was a popular play-by-mail game created and written by </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Kazuma Shinjo and produced by Yuentai</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> in 1990. In 1991 a tabletop RPG was created, with the title being given a second exclamation point to differentiate it from the PBM version. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Player Characters are high school students attending the titular Horai Academy, an exclusive private learning institution on an island nation just off the coast of Japan. Yes, the island is independent of Japan and the school is considered its own country. It has over 100,000 students and many of its upper classman and faculty handle the politics, military defense, and infrastructure maintenance of the island. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ01aO7LP4FPLstwC4hX8rDbxr0tcHecLPQgVT0kn6tzGitr8jH4sLf2vh_zivNL0ROWAzELM2rpouKI3CFM1uPKVRytu0cn2xFl_bXtbTpbI0bmBcbfv1dIpZl5jwCKU1IUaPw7wqQP4FOZGRNI8T_FgGkNQ8HsHU9xXRTfYd26V1g-iK2tgYmRZcOABw/s1340/Utsuhojima%20Island-BW%20Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ01aO7LP4FPLstwC4hX8rDbxr0tcHecLPQgVT0kn6tzGitr8jH4sLf2vh_zivNL0ROWAzELM2rpouKI3CFM1uPKVRytu0cn2xFl_bXtbTpbI0bmBcbfv1dIpZl5jwCKU1IUaPw7wqQP4FOZGRNI8T_FgGkNQ8HsHU9xXRTfYd26V1g-iK2tgYmRZcOABw/w512-h640/Utsuhojima%20Island-BW%20Map.jpg" width="512" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Island of </span><b style="color: #93c47d;">Utsuhojima</b><span style="color: #93c47d;"> (likely a replacement for real life </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izu_%C5%8Cshima"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Oshima Island</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;">)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The game takes an absurdist view of Japanese high school life and students get involved in everything from typical teenage drama to crazy conspiracies, giant robot battles, fighting off Kaiju attacks, uncovering lost civilizations, and unlocking ancient mystical secrets. This is handled by the school's 100+ Clubs, of which PCs can belong to up to four. You could be in the Fishing Club, the Cooking Club, The Eldritch Book Club, the Mecha Building Club, or practically any other mad thing you want to dream up. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy5PFpXMt0WxfGM2cS8Lv3bG7o6pEq93joDEh4PwsiC2Vr_wuwOA6ASf_HXhvL5MbXjrvuaoJ7eaY89B9ePaaiCRMoajKoxKQ4i_8TpDj9R5brrRugHcNApvLW_4fK3x7yRuOWtr3y9M8PklM18-ErRGu2guroY0wDRgPV16uMZNdEVbK7BjGNUx53OgY/s3072/The%20Student%20Body-1990.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="3072" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy5PFpXMt0WxfGM2cS8Lv3bG7o6pEq93joDEh4PwsiC2Vr_wuwOA6ASf_HXhvL5MbXjrvuaoJ7eaY89B9ePaaiCRMoajKoxKQ4i_8TpDj9R5brrRugHcNApvLW_4fK3x7yRuOWtr3y9M8PklM18-ErRGu2guroY0wDRgPV16uMZNdEVbK7BjGNUx53OgY/w640-h474/The%20Student%20Body-1990.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The island and the school have been developed in great detail by the original writers and then further expanded by the fans. The setting is rich but the rules are relatively simple, making for one of my favorite kinds of games - rules light but concept heavy. It's an anything goes Anime/Manga influenced RPG that was accurately described by my friend Ray as 'Crazy Japanese High School, The Roleplaying Game' and really, how can you top that?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZR0KIFGCXrvqP0w0otG0OhlU9w4Pjjq6p9pQ_kI8JsBePDXAcBfCsYYVsdzzHNLxfiN5gkkjLfAMB5Oas5xlDOngD7QKnLF_IHDIcLMbF67rdbg6fyak6eOvtxUm3lmax7r9NZoN8Ht-908uYjglqiCm33kN4ynbbYP_hQqBYTUZuwiYPzmJCY_3uQ_FI/s1716/Horai%20Life%20Encyclopedia_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1716" data-original-width="1198" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZR0KIFGCXrvqP0w0otG0OhlU9w4Pjjq6p9pQ_kI8JsBePDXAcBfCsYYVsdzzHNLxfiN5gkkjLfAMB5Oas5xlDOngD7QKnLF_IHDIcLMbF67rdbg6fyak6eOvtxUm3lmax7r9NZoN8Ht-908uYjglqiCm33kN4ynbbYP_hQqBYTUZuwiYPzmJCY_3uQ_FI/w446-h640/Horai%20Life%20Encyclopedia_Cover.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"><b>Horai High School Life Encyclopedia.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">A sourcebook released in 1995 along with</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">a revised edition of the base game.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Oh, I almost forgot to mention...while the PBM is long gone and the original TRPG out of print, the game has been resurrected by a Doujinshi fan group. Starting in 2020 a group of fans independent of the original publishers updated the game and are now in talks to produce a 3rd Edition! Wild right? SO COOL!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Weirdness Factor</span>:</b> 8</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As noted, Horai Academy!! is absurdist in the extreme but its the kind of oddball setting that has its own internal consistency and I just adore that. Like the Wizarding World, Superheroes, and Star Trek it doesn't reflect real world logic but it makes sense to itself and that's the most important thing. I would also contend that's it's the kind of weirdness that one can wrap their head around without too much effort. It's easy (for me at least) to see this world and how to game it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Desire to Run It</span>:</b> 9</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I actually run this game for much too short a period of time back in 1993. We only had about six sessions spread out over three months or so. It was so fun but the players' schedules and various real life issues got in the way. My next 31 Day Character Challenge entry will feature a character from our Horai Academy!! game. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Damn but I'd love to run this again. It was so nuts, funny, atmospheric, and just over-the-top awesome. Don't be surprised if you see more posts on this game as well in the near future. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Uncle Gap</span></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">(Sometimes translated as Gap Uncle or The Uncle Gap)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LWm5r2mLeO-is9wgQUFsPymA8qasGaOEFRNZAZPb8P6LaSOC1Z31ePba5iKvtPw4GjQgAv6gsGTJMRt3cG_gs4m023-LK1Yb-LWWeAMjiratv1T2XVG97la_Ih8KjB6IObp-arcmS0kOpr07oLG3c0wRkPB100vObvOFYc8UmVz-StXsdgw2j2t40AGM/s643/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Core%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="455" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LWm5r2mLeO-is9wgQUFsPymA8qasGaOEFRNZAZPb8P6LaSOC1Z31ePba5iKvtPw4GjQgAv6gsGTJMRt3cG_gs4m023-LK1Yb-LWWeAMjiratv1T2XVG97la_Ih8KjB6IObp-arcmS0kOpr07oLG3c0wRkPB100vObvOFYc8UmVz-StXsdgw2j2t40AGM/w452-h640/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Core%20Rulebook%20Cover.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To explain what this game is about, you first need to understand what an 'Uncle' is in Japanese culture. As a slang term, Ojisan (less formally Ossan) is a middle-aged salaryman with a tired, overworked appearance and attitude.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcjRPrLqbDCQ7hhEOxE5v1YJHmKU1K0YlP7aaMNfaOkH_w3wUl1HXvi99sE68X69USkp3R-qsJSK_2RHdTYu_iUGrwdXok9ebkte-DcPaAOED0vEp6CB88_Eikuu5PXomcKSqNugiYq-cz3TZgHmeNvKzWsjyZKBwdQl4gb1c5_mIdLjm2cTAC3eSf5Jb/s708/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Uncle%20Types.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="708" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcjRPrLqbDCQ7hhEOxE5v1YJHmKU1K0YlP7aaMNfaOkH_w3wUl1HXvi99sE68X69USkp3R-qsJSK_2RHdTYu_iUGrwdXok9ebkte-DcPaAOED0vEp6CB88_Eikuu5PXomcKSqNugiYq-cz3TZgHmeNvKzWsjyZKBwdQl4gb1c5_mIdLjm2cTAC3eSf5Jb/w457-h401/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Uncle%20Types.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally, the term has spread to imply that said Uncle is a man with few prospects, someone who isn't going anyway in particular, financially and/or socially. This might be a fellow who is an Otaku (a fan obsessed with a particular hobby), an especially anxious or shy individual, a conspiracy theorist, etc. For lack of a better term, the Uncle is a loser. A loser who's not married, has no kids, maybe not even a girlfriend...they're perfect!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlpMjky8tSzVfqxwhY6AdO2LbrMgi1ELWkETjOutg5lGGCq0lu9q1_A7bjp5KDuA2baiHY3vxvScvAkkIzNZALfQHrfJKow_qQyC5g0xqQVdZ9g6_RwhQRGSSm0-hD6h0uy6hR7FmYbXdMQLe6JPbnUy_hyphenhyphenTgekJwpCTO5ruBlfu1vnBZY5WFT0ZeCDuV/s1412/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Uncle%20Alter%20Egos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="1412" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlpMjky8tSzVfqxwhY6AdO2LbrMgi1ELWkETjOutg5lGGCq0lu9q1_A7bjp5KDuA2baiHY3vxvScvAkkIzNZALfQHrfJKow_qQyC5g0xqQVdZ9g6_RwhQRGSSm0-hD6h0uy6hR7FmYbXdMQLe6JPbnUy_hyphenhyphenTgekJwpCTO5ruBlfu1vnBZY5WFT0ZeCDuV/w640-h298/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_Uncle%20Alter%20Egos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These men are just what the world needs to fight against cultists, monsters beyond Human comprehension, alien invaders, and all sorts of other weirdness. While they may look like under-achievers and washouts to the rest of society, they and they alone know the truth; Uncles are all experts in something. Maybe they're masters of martial arts. Perhaps they're proficient in creating make-shift weapons. It's also possible they know ancient arcane secrets mankind wasn't meant to know. It could happen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This game is definitely built around a Japanese cultural phenomenon and as such might be difficult to get across to your players. At the same time, we definitely see people like this in our Western society. I'm divorced, no kids, make OK money, and I am an actual uncle. It would be great if I was secretly able to contribute to protecting the Earth from a hidden 'world of darkness'. Sounds neat! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83ypKGk2qawtZ6ipV8Px9GXPxOadQYwJgFB7ecSbLyGjpiXCejII40R35a1ctJY0iLkmQEGbBJqIeYBahjIFU01fnjPYletUjHQ_yJjm-Fb8E4RshZibHlh57ZZM0a73RI16pGI7yFdkk2heuuro3f-5eG7lSZLzTIQ7xN9Ke1ahKwExX-Kr2mO7k4Ejh/s1500/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_All%20the%20Uncles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1061" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83ypKGk2qawtZ6ipV8Px9GXPxOadQYwJgFB7ecSbLyGjpiXCejII40R35a1ctJY0iLkmQEGbBJqIeYBahjIFU01fnjPYletUjHQ_yJjm-Fb8E4RshZibHlh57ZZM0a73RI16pGI7yFdkk2heuuro3f-5eG7lSZLzTIQ7xN9Ke1ahKwExX-Kr2mO7k4Ejh/w452-h640/Uncle%20Gap%20TRPG_All%20the%20Uncles.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #92e88e;">Weirdness Factor</span>:</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> 8</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is really the gimmick of the 'Uncle' concept that makes the game weird. While we're use to playing characters in their teens or their prime, here's a game where the PC protagonists are possibly balding, likely have some lower back pain, and complain about the music kids listen to these days. Why, back when they were in high school...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #92e88e;">Desire to Run It</span>:</b> 7</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is definitely a game I'd like to take a stab at. Mechanically it's another Saikoro Fiction game but otherwise I don't know much about its specifics. I would need to do more research before I felt comfortable bringing it to the table. It's also another game that I think would work best as a short series campaign. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Luckily I do have one group that knows the tropes of this idea and I think they could pull it off to great effect. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, these are just some of the wild and wacky tabletop RPGs Japan has to offer and definitely the ones most interesting to me at the moment. Sure there are Dating Sim RPGs and Baseball RPGs and maybe I'll talk about them in the future but I'll finish here for now. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">See you soon,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-60249978564265050832024-01-31T09:04:00.007-05:002024-02-10T00:29:15.437-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - HINATA 'HELLCAT' NEKOMOTO<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As mentioned, there is no way I am going to be able to complete this year's <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">31 Day Character Challenge</span></b> by Wednesday. Nonetheless I am going to keep going until I hit the full 31, however long that takes me. I am motivated, enjoying myself, and I at least beat the number of posts I made last January so I'm calling it a win.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yatta! </span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51z0d5lrMgtbv5rHmXBjEvnKkjS_hCz1Vpmq8Iu2rpmw28gEUX2W6tDuNzknbrnpxwJdsVmmhnzTAqHIpOVqrRWk47evlqIzUfAqDqI4S9drxVEFgzBRhAhqjTVAmqM_0GogdhLUXiAnEV-DqdfcdI6EG2oKLsxP_-rRvxvuaMFGTK5p6muOl-EntMtmy/s650/Hinata%20Nekomoto%20Hellcat-Portrait_AI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="639" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51z0d5lrMgtbv5rHmXBjEvnKkjS_hCz1Vpmq8Iu2rpmw28gEUX2W6tDuNzknbrnpxwJdsVmmhnzTAqHIpOVqrRWk47evlqIzUfAqDqI4S9drxVEFgzBRhAhqjTVAmqM_0GogdhLUXiAnEV-DqdfcdI6EG2oKLsxP_-rRvxvuaMFGTK5p6muOl-EntMtmy/w394-h400/Hinata%20Nekomoto%20Hellcat-Portrait_AI.jpg" width="394" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b> Hinata Nekomoto</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Hellcat, Nekomoto-9, N9</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Player: </b>Victoria (Can't remember her last name but it was Japanese). </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Cyberpunk 2020 / Mekton II - Interlock System with Houserules</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additional campaign ideas and mechanics were borrowed from the magazine <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecha_Press"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Mecha Press</span></a>. </span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span> Short Campaign:</b> Neo-Tokyo Boomrunners: INTERSPEC</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1992-93</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> Sometime in 1988 I had the idea to run a campaign titled, 'Neo-Tokyo Crimebusters: Freelance Police'. This was a Cyberpunk Action/Comedy inspired by Japanese Anime and Manga such as Appleseed, Akira, Bubblegum Crisis, Dominion Tank Police, and Mobile Police Patlabor. It went over really well, though we only got about a dozen sessions out of it before various schedule changes caused it to dissolve before its time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You can expect to see a 31 Days /31 Characters entry from this campaign down the line. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Roughly four or five years later I was talking Anime with some friends and we came up with what we thought would be a cool premise for a series. Then it dawned on me that it would also make for a great RPG campaign. The group agreed and we met that weekend to create the characters. To speed up the campaign prep time I resurrected my source materials from Freelance Police. Boomrunners was to be set in the same Neo-Tokyo as Crimebusters.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73QfA_T5itWFKqHwdBSTPHD7TJRS_bRzzMr2oFwWy5KdRfpt2_6XGIaazWQLhasO0zaQPYjqCPp-OOP4xGm-ZEf_MF7QsQr7E5PsGG53kCk9aLGTQqCafcDILkj6Aye6uwCUW1QBEoJgnXiUSPnoIYsbuRtYfcrzgf6uhMvN8sj5dcIsmGfrVpOdyA6ei/s1494/Mekton%20II-Cyberpunk%202020%20Combo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1494" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73QfA_T5itWFKqHwdBSTPHD7TJRS_bRzzMr2oFwWy5KdRfpt2_6XGIaazWQLhasO0zaQPYjqCPp-OOP4xGm-ZEf_MF7QsQr7E5PsGG53kCk9aLGTQqCafcDILkj6Aye6uwCUW1QBEoJgnXiUSPnoIYsbuRtYfcrzgf6uhMvN8sj5dcIsmGfrVpOdyA6ei/w640-h278/Mekton%20II-Cyberpunk%202020%20Combo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> <b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING</span></b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;">This game dealt with some darker and more mature subject matter than my usual campaigns. I used to dip into this type of thing more often but less so as I got older. I was extra cynical in the 90s. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #d9ead3; font-family: arial;">Viewer Discretion Advised.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hinata is a Nekomoto-9 Pleasure Bioroid, found discarded in a pile of organic refuse with a gunshot wound to the chest. Discovered and called in by Agents of Interspec's Division 3, they were instructed to bring her back to HQ by Chief Medical and Biosciences Expert Dr. Shun Sasaki.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dr. Sasaki treated the Nekomoto-9, nursing her back to health (which involved quite a bit of bio-engineering repair) until she was awake and able to move about on her own. Healing increasingly quickly after Sasaki's initial treatment, 'N9' proved surprisingly intelligent and knowledgeable. Digging into the doctor's file, N9 discovered he'd had a daughter, Hinata Sasaki, who died a few years earlier in a Boomer rampage. Dr. Sasaki joined Interspec right after. When he found out about her 'investigation', Sasaki wasn't upset at all and was happy to answer any questions she had. This led to a close 'father-daughter' relationship between the two of them, with N9 trusting Sasaki over anyone else in the world. Sasaki in turned asked N9 to honor him by having her take the name 'Hinata'. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not long after taking on her new identity, Hinata Nekomoto decided to make some cosmetic alterations to look the way she wanted to, instead of having the appearance someone else paid for. Additionally, there was still the mystery of who shot her, why, and what her life was before being found by Interspec (she had no memory of anything before that). Best not to look like someone who was supposed to be dead. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilq_QPmLe0F_NOQuc0kIguAMjEcKawSYmqesN161-5h6gYgfjXj_HMOv-6dwjx1bODPyEXDq828qMMXeG4Ckc0wR_qWXCx3W38BzH2NdzuguDNmHNBwrC_oifET3jYBUSVbROqq5FujGnwbhWDZB3fU9EhLpgXfsvASvKNfbV4XP9WNO1D5AUHzCrpHps/s1260/N9%20Hinata%20Nekomoto-Portrait_AI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1260" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilq_QPmLe0F_NOQuc0kIguAMjEcKawSYmqesN161-5h6gYgfjXj_HMOv-6dwjx1bODPyEXDq828qMMXeG4Ckc0wR_qWXCx3W38BzH2NdzuguDNmHNBwrC_oifET3jYBUSVbROqq5FujGnwbhWDZB3fU9EhLpgXfsvASvKNfbV4XP9WNO1D5AUHzCrpHps/w640-h330/N9%20Hinata%20Nekomoto-Portrait_AI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Left: Pleasure Bioroid Nekomoto-9 or N9 / Right: Agent Hinata 'Hellcat' Nekomoto</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hinata applied to join Interspec herself, training for three years before going into the field. Two years after that she was recruited into the 'Boomrunners', a group of Special Agents operating out of Division 3. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> Set in the year 2092, the campaign followed the Boomrunners, a team of crimefighting operatives working for Division 3 of Interspec. Interspec is an Interpol-like organization that battles high powered android, bioroid, robot, and cyborg focused crimes. They are almost always brought in to deal with renegade Boomers (See previous post). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Each member of the five person team had their own special skills and abilities, as well as a unique (custom) powered battlesuit. When in their suits, the team members are usually referred to by a codename or callsign. Hinata Nekomoto, who's callsign is Hellcat, is an extremely talented acrobatic, contortionist, and climber. She is remarkably adept at hand-to-hand combat. Hinata turns out to be a competent detective and has skills in stealth, infiltration, disguise, and seduction. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Adding to her martial arts training, her armored powersuit is equipped with razor sharp claws capable of tearing through most materials easily. They also give her enhanced climbing ability (there are similar retractable ones in the feet). Additional features of the suit include increased leaping ability and a power cord 'tail' that can connect to energy outlets and temporarily super-charge the armor. Like all battlesuit users, Hellcat has increased strength, speed, and a sensor heads-up display. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hellcat had some additional abilities related to her bio-engineered origins. She had a heightened sense of hearing, excellent night vision, and a regenerative healing factor that only kicked in if she was reduced to 3 Hits or less (which is what helped save her from the gunshot mentioned in her Backstory). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The rest of the Boomrunners team consisted of:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Killjoy:</b> Incredible at reading people. Armed with a Samurai Sword similar to Hellcat's claws. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Lighthouse:</b> Team leader. Excellent detective. Tracker/Ranger type. Laser weapons.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Nightlight:</b> Extreme stealth. Communications, Hacker. Special short-range laser weapon.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Pepperjack: </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Landmate style Mecha 'suit'. Gattling gun, Missiles, Buckler Shield. Jump Jets.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Lighthouse and Nighlight were brother and sister I believe (the characters, not the players).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Killjoy was a Cyborg. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Highlights:</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I really loved how the player, Victoria, gave the character a 'Noir Detective Story' feel while simultaneously completely fitting in to the over-the-top Anime action scenes. She, as well as most of the other characters, also totally bought in to various romantic subplots, even if they didn't all end positively. Their hardsuits could stop high caliber weapons but nothing deflects a broken heart. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of Hinata's subplots were about questions of identity as much as trying to unravel her origins. We explored some deep ideas. How did N9 end up where she was and how she was? What was her life like before that? Why do I keep saying 'her' life? Isn't she me? Aren't Hinata and N9 actually the same person; why does it feel like that's not true anymore? Was N9 ever really a person; was she her own entity or was she just a doll who someone bought then grew tired of playing with?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One great fight I recall had Killjoy, Nightlight, and Hellcat fighting a Boomer who had disabled Pepperjack (Lighthouse was in a nearby basement tracking a signal that had hacked the Boomer). The teamwork was top notch, with Nightlight hacking the hack and throwing off the Boomer's sensors as Hellcat flipped and spun around the big brute occasionally rending a cable or other component. At some point she squatted down, balanced on the Boomer's arm as it began to shift the limb into a machine gun. Hellcat does a backward somersault/leap off the arm, damaging it with her feet claws, and creating an opening for Killjoy to charge in a slice off the arm with his sword. Super Anime Badassery! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Game Info:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's been so long that, as with many of these entries sadly, I just don't have those character sheets anymore. It was primary a Cyberpunk game, with Mekton II used for many of the Mecha elements and some tweaking to make it all fit together. In addition, I used articles in Mecha Press Magazine that covered Bubblegum Crisis and other Anime to get things to feel just right. Interestingly, the second issue (and one or two later ones I think) had an original mini-RPG called Techno Police 2100 AD, which was surprisingly close in concept to the game that preceded Boomrunners and set the stage for the world. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This was also one of the games, maybe the first one, that used my alternative 'Humanity' mechanic as mentioned in this ol' post on <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2015/02/thorough-thursdays-blade-runner.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Blade Runner</span></a>. The basic idea being that while Humans who replace their organics parts with cybernetics are in danger of losing their Humanity and Empathy, Androids and Bioroids (similar to Replicants) start with with very little Empathy/Humanity and are trying to gain them through life experiences. While the goal is to be 'truly Human', it can also result in moments of desperate, passionate outbursts. A true Human can feel anger and free and most of all, they don't want to die. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Notes:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hinata is a gender neutral Japanese name that means Sunflower or 'Facing the Sun'. As for Nekomoto, Neko means Cat, while moto refers to a Book or 'true words'.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dr. Shun Sasaki. His name means 'Talented and Wise'. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The battlesuits of the Boomrunners, the term Boomers, and many other aspects of this setting were lifted (then customized) from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblegum_Crisis"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Bubblegum Crisis</span></a> and its many spin-offs. I would say that IP was the single biggest influence on the game. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsRyvTgSZs-QlHxLsgq-GaiIy20Id4h8GKDCNzTTH_2VIDEG8p2OkBY8hYgh7_hDISvnVri9Rx2mUqqFvsYaLgHAf9zpHmA765EE2VNnqh3GaoTUNvLQMLmQePznnH9pu0D4sI_ec8Y6rYawId-nAs8hkW2TgcVqBEVJAawJ0u0qpfmGvNJPffams1GD8/s1024/bubblegum-crisis-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsRyvTgSZs-QlHxLsgq-GaiIy20Id4h8GKDCNzTTH_2VIDEG8p2OkBY8hYgh7_hDISvnVri9Rx2mUqqFvsYaLgHAf9zpHmA765EE2VNnqh3GaoTUNvLQMLmQePznnH9pu0D4sI_ec8Y6rYawId-nAs8hkW2TgcVqBEVJAawJ0u0qpfmGvNJPffams1GD8/w589-h442/bubblegum-crisis-1.jpg" width="589" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Bubblegum Crisis universe, 'Boomer' is a derogatory term for what is more property called a Voomer, an artificially created bio-mechanical life form. Voomer may be designed to be maids, waiters, soldiers, or any other vocation.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If one malfunctions and goes on a murderous rampage it is dubbed a Boomer. Some people call all Voomers Boomers, implying they believe every single one is destined or at least likely to go crazy. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In this campaign only the term Boomer was used and these beings almost exclusively created for combat related jobs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The bright yellow hair Hellcat has while suited-up (See image below) is a hologram. It can be altered or deactivated on command.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Its been a very long time since I've thought about this character or her campaign, partly because its been a long while since I've felt particularly inspired by a Cyberpunk Anime or Manga. Certainly not enough to dig out my almost 30 year old notes on the subject. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, with recent Anime titles like Metallic Rouge and Pluto, it may be something to consider revisiting in the not too distant future.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipktOov_lVv78M_iI1lvg7V0afyIdq4QYgvdDgoPt3Kxxlt-bLUbVUHAvk-1unL1qNUiY-qXlOmyR0lUCNQ9l5NyP1blL063IFEOmVg_R9fpGlvGMjstEyJctnIrZw7sqa5fKOa-7-cIjhp9KKMtszp1oSzPl-B6dhehvukV6gfe_GZREjyIGmz-17EZDa/s879/Hinata%20Nekomoto%20Hellcat-Full%20Body_AI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="788" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipktOov_lVv78M_iI1lvg7V0afyIdq4QYgvdDgoPt3Kxxlt-bLUbVUHAvk-1unL1qNUiY-qXlOmyR0lUCNQ9l5NyP1blL063IFEOmVg_R9fpGlvGMjstEyJctnIrZw7sqa5fKOa-7-cIjhp9KKMtszp1oSzPl-B6dhehvukV6gfe_GZREjyIGmz-17EZDa/w574-h640/Hinata%20Nekomoto%20Hellcat-Full%20Body_AI.jpg" width="574" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have some free time after school, how about joining our club and ya'know, saving the world from evil? Great! You can learn all about it from club Vice-President </span><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">ICHIKO YORUHIME</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-34106723390163781072024-01-31T08:35:00.003-05:002024-01-31T08:35:38.429-05:00Do Android Salarymen Dream of Electric Cherry Blossoms?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cyberpunk.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Anime first made in-roads into the Western entertainment market in a way that made serious film buffs pay attention, it was with a Cyberpunk film called '<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_(1988_film)"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Akira</span></a></b>'.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqVjaKXZ6a6Uu_KnHuK-b-EB7iCkQ7R3wiYPWcCOFut9vMl-PXvnCoixy9PPAOVPGUE5qrHUWXUU6ASG0Azd-uOeH3tdVTFquaD7wSDlsKFFFGM0Z4dZxtMr_AZ66aGA_2NFU6W_ZLdZypxOZtmF5WfSJq52F7ME_gwkvShkPg_dI58i8Y95oLd8XBp7A/s1500/Akira_1988%20Film%20Poster%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqVjaKXZ6a6Uu_KnHuK-b-EB7iCkQ7R3wiYPWcCOFut9vMl-PXvnCoixy9PPAOVPGUE5qrHUWXUU6ASG0Azd-uOeH3tdVTFquaD7wSDlsKFFFGM0Z4dZxtMr_AZ66aGA_2NFU6W_ZLdZypxOZtmF5WfSJq52F7ME_gwkvShkPg_dI58i8Y95oLd8XBp7A/w426-h640/Akira_1988%20Film%20Poster%201.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Akira, the 1988 animated motion picture written and directed by Manga icon Katsuhiro Otomo took the West, particularly the United States, by storm. Released in the US in 1989, Akira made over 2 million dollars during its run in movie theatres. It was positively regarded by both fans and film critics alike and is, to this day, considered on of the greatest animated films of all time. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Akira was by no means the first Japanese animated feature to be shown in the West but it was the landmark title that (one could argue) opened up gates for the cavalcade of titles to come after it. Akira was the first Anime to not only be widely accepted but widely appreciated. Adult Americans who viewed cartoons as media for children were hit head-on by a sticker covered red motorcycle sliding into them at high speed. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Personally, I love this film. I had already been a fan of Anime and Manga for (roughly) five years when Akira came out in the States. While others around me experienced surprise, even shock at what the medium of animation could do if treated as a serious artform, I simply felt validated in what I'd already known. Looking back on it now I find one element of the movie and its reception very curious. It is considered an Anime in the Cyberpunk genre and while I would agree, it isn't exactly Cyberpunk as we often view it here in the West. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then again neither is Blade Runner, another movie I adore that falls into the same category of non-cyber Cyberpunk. Neither film is overly concerned with the 'Net', cybernetics, or mega-corporations (though they exist and play a role in the world-building). While both films do make commentaries on modern society, the focus is on the characters, not so much the setting. It's about people whether they are embracing their humanity, trying to find it, or losing it all together. There is the idea that power corrupts and turns people into monsters, while asking if </span><span style="font-family: arial;">monsters can change back into people. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These are very common questions throughout Japanese Cyberpunk. Indeed, it's an example of how the Cyberpunk fiction of Japan differs from its Western cousin in a number of ways. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Western Cyberpunk is often focused outward; it looks at society from the characters points of view and said characters are often trying to change society or save it from itself. The protagonists are radicals, rebels, even criminals, and they're going to overthrow the status quo and save the world.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That's rare in Japanese Cyberpunk. Akira aside, most Anime/Manga Cyberpunk stories are centered on police, military, or heroic secret organizations trying to protect the citizens of their society from bad elements that would plunge it into chaos. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">There is often a strong theme of society effecting the protagonists but the protagonists being unable to make a major impact on society as a whole.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqexrvV4zIdbpHzU8PxkEJb184aqVokB8zQRu8yZPcifxMQ5-xwYHWH4nNj26E1kHhcejwgxeatR3Y5NX_8BLYTfRizIdkzZUf8v1mxFo1FGn7IVaMIsFhzbrkRCn_gYNS0hTR1cKqEX2KIP68v_gauqKYADYn_tIoE4PQYBAvBuYmOVu0xK70nqdEbq3i/s879/Ghost%20in%20the%20Shell-Stand%20Alone%20Complex%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="606" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqexrvV4zIdbpHzU8PxkEJb184aqVokB8zQRu8yZPcifxMQ5-xwYHWH4nNj26E1kHhcejwgxeatR3Y5NX_8BLYTfRizIdkzZUf8v1mxFo1FGn7IVaMIsFhzbrkRCn_gYNS0hTR1cKqEX2KIP68v_gauqKYADYn_tIoE4PQYBAvBuYmOVu0xK70nqdEbq3i/w442-h640/Ghost%20in%20the%20Shell-Stand%20Alone%20Complex%201.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Take a look at another quintessential Cyberpunk franchise, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Ghost in the Shell</span></b></a>; the main characters are former police or military personnel serving as a special operation task force called Public Safety Service 9. They are part of the status quo charged with protecting innocent citizen and, by association, maintaining the status quo. In the two seasons of the animated TV series <b>Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex,</b> the team investigates and solves various crimes but the major arcs running throughout series deal with uncovering government corruption with which the Public Safety Service is entwined.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">No spoilers here but just Imagine that Major Kusanagi and friends successfully uncover the officials behind the lawbreaking and arrest them. Awesome, the bad guys are caught and eventually punished. Government and society-wise things go back to normal...and normal is a Cyberpunk dystopia. The heroes win and therefore nothing has changed. . </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This brings us to two really excellent new Cyberpunk titles: Pluto and Metallic Rouge.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NHoh9UYmumog6jDYfSVXrbqrXch7guSv6J_q9MnPJuqJC8pQTcvkxQ1aN4MoH9LJvlqi5jWChJYGeilKQM9BDhSXi2auAqE3Rwm7uHy5uE5z5d7zUpebDhrTYI3IE95wMuQ9LqzKkvDrVUHYiib1qQZJvkFezTALS3ZWHpqQV1t1NSnsGtB8ZuH1lhRq/s1438/Pluto-Metallic%20Rouge%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1438" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NHoh9UYmumog6jDYfSVXrbqrXch7guSv6J_q9MnPJuqJC8pQTcvkxQ1aN4MoH9LJvlqi5jWChJYGeilKQM9BDhSXi2auAqE3Rwm7uHy5uE5z5d7zUpebDhrTYI3IE95wMuQ9LqzKkvDrVUHYiib1qQZJvkFezTALS3ZWHpqQV1t1NSnsGtB8ZuH1lhRq/w640-h458/Pluto-Metallic%20Rouge%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/35737/Pluto"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Pluto</span></a></b> is a modern and dark retelling of the story <i>The Greatest Robot on Earth</i>, originally written by Osamu Tezuka in the Manga version of <b>Tetsuwan Atom</b> - The Might Atom aka Astro Boy. This story was written and illustrated as a Manga by Naoki Urasawa and serialized from 2003 to 2009 before being adapted into an Anime in October of 2023.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The story deals with a world in which robots abound, living among and working with Humans in a near-utopia of advanced technology. The plot involves a mystery killer hunting down and looking to destroy the seven most powerful robots in the world. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Gesicht, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Europol's top detective is on the case; a case that has his path cross with the planet's mightiest boy, Atom! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwM_5edPsZ6iCydT6z3FlJ72k1pmCk3nPYBYbIiunmIPXoyk4xXvxijsO46Xe4xbC-hzekCqW7Sm0Hera7i3TiKIlr4EqwzLAa3_wV3XcBeKqTbFJrRvM0j9fd4M0peydXTm1pOVHFXRSAEMnph33YWMXCpNqqh7Butivq1-A_MwK6kyBhBAKj2FdHv5Fh/s758/Atom-Pluto%20and%20Original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="618" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwM_5edPsZ6iCydT6z3FlJ72k1pmCk3nPYBYbIiunmIPXoyk4xXvxijsO46Xe4xbC-hzekCqW7Sm0Hera7i3TiKIlr4EqwzLAa3_wV3XcBeKqTbFJrRvM0j9fd4M0peydXTm1pOVHFXRSAEMnph33YWMXCpNqqh7Butivq1-A_MwK6kyBhBAKj2FdHv5Fh/w522-h640/Atom-Pluto%20and%20Original.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First and foremost, I absolutely loved this series. I highly recommend it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One aspect I found especially interesting about its worldbuilding was how it portrayed the different types of robots and how they were treated by others in Robotkind and the more widespread and authoritative Humanity. While many Humans harbor a prejudice against all robots, those that look like Humans often get more of a pass than those who look like half-faced, six armed, giants among normal people. Of course, any robot known to have performed admirable feats for the benefit of Humanity and the world they live in are viewed in an especially positive light. Many smaller, more 80s robot toy looking mechanicals are often overlooked and seen as inconsequential. At best they are pets and at worst disposable tools. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Robots themselves, to no great surprise, view each other quite differently. The nuances of how though, that's what makes the setting so intriguing. Without giving away too much, more advanced robots and androids see their less complex and capable brethren the way we might think of an orphaned child or an abandoned animal. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Personally, I'd love to run or play in a game that explored this take on the role of robots in a Human dominated world. For a similar yet more action packed take on this idea...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallic_Rouge"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Metallic Rouge</span></a></b> is a very recent Anime series that is only up to its third or fourth episode as of this writing. Originally scheduled to start in March of this year, it began early due to an unforeseen opening in this season's schedule.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The series is produced by the animated studio Bones and written by Yutaka Izabuchi, a long time veteran of the Anime/Manga scene and a personal favorite creative person of mine. It's not surprising I like this show as I tend to love most of Izabuchi work. He is best known as a a Mecha Designer, coming up with looks for the robots in Patlabor, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, and <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2024/01/you-have-my-sword-my-bow-my-mecha.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Panzer World Galient</span></a>. In addition he's been a director, producer, and the costume designer on many Tokusatsu series, including various iterations of Kamen Rider. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps its not surprising then that his latest series is a cross between a Tokusatsu show and Blade Runner, a Cyberpunk Sci-Fi Action tale of two female agents traveling to Mars to hunt down nine renegade artificial beings hostile to the government. Here again we see the governing body, while still possibly up to something, the victim in danger from rebellious robots. It may turn out that the androids, or Neans, have every right to be angry but we are still following heroes who work as government/law enforcement agents.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you can picture Rick Deckard as a cute Anime girl capable of transforming into a superpowered battle robot to face off against Roy Batty you have a pretty good idea about the core concept of the show. In many ways it reminds me of a campaign I ran with a very similar premise back in 1992-93, which was also inspired by Blade Runner in addition to Anime classics like Bubblegum Crisis, Appleseed, and even some Battle Angel Alita. The next 31 Day Character Challenge entry with cover this game. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4uskllt5CteDGT3TkEqclX9Rww4yl5gAWi9sGLGiojbKfmspiF02jMwf3pD3G_aysWorLO3ZUPJvrO9khyphenhyphen1hEIWdwUpSVXzKHPUMx-HvWgzYHA1LlCe8LnixsdUC37dZmTHlC7EbWODtwc1b49ltrLVKGuQRnQ5hHfcvsxFN7xzFxl_iuMA1si2dSwVY/s879/Rouge%20Redstar-Metallic%20Rouge%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="699" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4uskllt5CteDGT3TkEqclX9Rww4yl5gAWi9sGLGiojbKfmspiF02jMwf3pD3G_aysWorLO3ZUPJvrO9khyphenhyphen1hEIWdwUpSVXzKHPUMx-HvWgzYHA1LlCe8LnixsdUC37dZmTHlC7EbWODtwc1b49ltrLVKGuQRnQ5hHfcvsxFN7xzFxl_iuMA1si2dSwVY/w508-h640/Rouge%20Redstar-Metallic%20Rouge%201.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Rouge Redstar and his alter ego Metallic Rouge</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As in Pluto, the non-combat oriented Neans are commonplace, a regular part of daily life for the people of Mars. They are generally treated as second-class citizens at best, slave labor at worst, with rare individuals earning the respect one sentient should show another. There are also rare Humans would generally see Neans as people in their own right but it doesn't appear a common outlook. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Highly recommended.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With that I hope you have some greater context for Japanese Cyberpunk in general and my next post specifically.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-22861976345289959532024-01-24T09:16:00.004-05:002024-02-10T23:14:00.146-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - GARETH OF OLLWOOD<p><b style="font-family: arial;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Obviously I am way behind on the 31 Day Character Challenge and based on my work and life schedule so far I am highly unlikely to be able to complete it in the allotted time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, I am still really into the project and discussing ideas for Japanese Pop Culture Entertainment related TRPGs. My reminiscing and research this month has been extremely inspiring for my creativity. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As a current favorite Anime series would say, expect this endeavor to continue 'Beyond the Journey's End'.*</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsgo10iG-R0oaJyKheLqsrysPb7Jt0oZSO-uMQ4US4FrWBeLtqFnrUwk8WJi5ePtiUTJwkD43TZhaCL3tVxIt2gMndVLp2XEmEq2ju9-uyUSNNrays1m-gpAQJB1fEl6MPxIQJh6g6GHTEgFHw1z1JRE08VxfR5mQ5_ngZV4-pJ3y5m5m52HbaRRZEvYE/s657/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark-Gareth%20Ollwood_Portrait-Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="657" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsgo10iG-R0oaJyKheLqsrysPb7Jt0oZSO-uMQ4US4FrWBeLtqFnrUwk8WJi5ePtiUTJwkD43TZhaCL3tVxIt2gMndVLp2XEmEq2ju9-uyUSNNrays1m-gpAQJB1fEl6MPxIQJh6g6GHTEgFHw1z1JRE08VxfR5mQ5_ngZV4-pJ3y5m5m52HbaRRZEvYE/w400-h396/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark-Gareth%20Ollwood_Portrait-Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></b></div><b><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b style="color: #93c47d;">Character: </b>Gareth of Ollwood</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Gareth Ollwood, Prince Regan of Fornia, The Bizmark Knight </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> David Concepcion.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Mekton II with additional Houserules</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign:</b> Mechanical Fantasy Bizmark</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1987-1988</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> David Concepcion and I have played a lot of games together and several of them were Mecha related. If you'll recall, Dave played A.J. DeLorca, the chief protagonist (essentially) of our <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2016/02/macross-blue-dragons.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">MACROSS: The Blue Dragons</span></a> campaign. </div><div><br /></div><div>After seeing several episodes of Mecha Anime that dealt with Fantasy or vaguely Medieval era settings, I whipped up an idea for a game with a similar premise. Eventually, with the help of my friend Nelson Marty, I wrote out a comic book story titled 'Mechanical Fantasy Byzumtine' that explored this idea. Nelson drew the pages for the comic and we used it as a submission to our high school's annual Art Festival. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm forgetting something...Oh yes! Dave! I shelved the idea after the Art Festival, unsure exactly what I wanted to do with it. About a year later in 1987, R. Talsorian Games came out with Mekton II, a new edition of their Anime/Manga inspired Giant Robot RPG. After running a few one-shots to test it out (Mekton II is quite different from its predecessor), the idea came to me to revisit Mechanical Fantasy Byzumtine. My thoughts instinctively turned to running it with Dave. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWOktscZvoICL_ycbUIMEtoFCgwndpl6nJhkADIDq4UvGpOnFkK0UyRkBhU1oHbWRaCg3mQwRVoDqR61rXPv33HM82Z8VmGj-U9bTaFnXAiGcLL3L5TqkV-ifP5P5hy14N8mIFODMpm_4Q4pnmNHp2XCGNI6pA85JJX8bvl9_YQjHjj1MCIYnogmNB4Rc/s792/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Byzumtine_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWOktscZvoICL_ycbUIMEtoFCgwndpl6nJhkADIDq4UvGpOnFkK0UyRkBhU1oHbWRaCg3mQwRVoDqR61rXPv33HM82Z8VmGj-U9bTaFnXAiGcLL3L5TqkV-ifP5P5hy14N8mIFODMpm_4Q4pnmNHp2XCGNI6pA85JJX8bvl9_YQjHjj1MCIYnogmNB4Rc/w484-h640/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Byzumtine_Cover.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Cover layout for the Mechanical Fantasy Byzumtine Comic Book story.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Art by Nelson Marty</span></div></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Reworking things a little I decided to set a new story in a different part of the same world. I pitched the idea I had to Dave, whose concept for a character really painted a picture of what the campaign would be about. As with other campaigns we'd done together, it was mainly a one-on-one RPG initially, just him and me, until others got wind of the game and joined in as either semi-regulars or guest stars.</div><div><br /></div><div>Armed with Mekton II and a host of Medieval Mecha Anime under our belt, Dave and I set out to take on the world of Rith! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiJ39gebCaHvutlB3K7IpzlaRVlN5ylU9AMPX6srS0qZgnzF8781jgyuiCKSA4O8TdvDiZU-W3dmVn4ZVgIm5vg4xpZ8IFb28ghnF31jefQWnfmYceoPFhudZ0ux_hdcnhyphenhypheneWEl6ds0j0gOhHYb7s96bTlbYCvcBOPTZkiY0SHtpI3paWtJ2HSfqgBwid/s1145/Mekton%20II%20Cover%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="882" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiJ39gebCaHvutlB3K7IpzlaRVlN5ylU9AMPX6srS0qZgnzF8781jgyuiCKSA4O8TdvDiZU-W3dmVn4ZVgIm5vg4xpZ8IFb28ghnF31jefQWnfmYceoPFhudZ0ux_hdcnhyphenhypheneWEl6ds0j0gOhHYb7s96bTlbYCvcBOPTZkiY0SHtpI3paWtJ2HSfqgBwid/w492-h640/Mekton%20II%20Cover%201.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> Gareth was a young orphaned minstrel and actor in the town of Ollwood, a large settlement not far from the City of Angels, capital of the Kingdom of Fornia. He was born with rare Gray-Green eyes, a sign of one who has a great destiny ahead of them.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The only other person in all of Fornia to have such eyes was none other than the Prince himself! Prince Regan Angel, young heir to the kingdom had the same sign of greatness. Hmm. Similar hair too. They're about the same height. Huh. Wonder if that will come up later?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When the Kingdom of Nev declares war on Fornia and the King is murdered, it is up to Prince Regan to lead the nation to victory against its dreadful enemy. Prince Regan had no intention of ruling as king however. He sought revenge for the assassination of his father by directly going into battle in his family's legacy Mecha Knight, the Bizmark! Of course, there was no way his court would let him do that as they needed a king. What's a brave, angry, impetuous young Prince to do? </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Simple! Switch places with Gareth of Ollwood, drafted into the Fornian Army to fend off the Dark Desert Order of Nev. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And so our campaign followed Gareth (really Prince Regan) as he fought his way to becoming a better person, a true leader, and the secret component to unlocking the ancient power of Bizmark, one of the nine Sacred Paladins (extremely powerful Giant Robots. Byzumtine is another). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1y2Cx5POelr5MgXxZPchNntTMTSOO8MIW2Fc1tU-lp5lAji3W3hy_aYhL5O7h1rx1BCHYf0vL0e7A6NppbcEgZ7mnpYur7Jmz0D1asgHuR1B5qOeoo6LTiIhluSDKFUcB2hEtfPU5Ju6g__0Dz0wzNXr7fJ5OCPakI1AIL2-DQFgmzDU-TYb_W5hK0XL/s1276/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="618" height="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1y2Cx5POelr5MgXxZPchNntTMTSOO8MIW2Fc1tU-lp5lAji3W3hy_aYhL5O7h1rx1BCHYf0vL0e7A6NppbcEgZ7mnpYur7Jmz0D1asgHuR1B5qOeoo6LTiIhluSDKFUcB2hEtfPU5Ju6g__0Dz0wzNXr7fJ5OCPakI1AIL2-DQFgmzDU-TYb_W5hK0XL/w394-h796/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="394" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Bizmark, one of the </span>Nine Great Sacred Paladin Mecha.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> The overall 'narrative' of the campaign was inspired by elements of the Shakespearian play 'Henry V', as well as numerous ideas from various Mecha Fantasy Anime. Regan, disguised as the commoner soldier Gareth, works his way through the ranks to fight alongside the noble knights of Fornia. In the process he goes from vengeful, undisciplined young man to a hero and true leader. Meanwhile, the real Gareth plays the role of Prince Regan with the help of the Chamberlain who figures out the ruse early on. However, it is revealed that the Chamberlain might be influencing the 'Prince' to his own benefit.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGGiI0mOTJdGw8i6208KMlqDw3C49cLdVJtCq4iHUrMxxEXPGtDMvqbtYveZzhS6NyTMEuzvsemy9lpwII0Me6ImN7xdyP60UP43gZmTcSK3q44P3wPSoWq9cwv3dJ3EQW3NdWj-TRMSNzW9IwQ1UXUOtuC1mABFLjfsSlqqtMmx25fD7kD5_nfZpNhnK/s2000/Map%20of%20Kingdom%20of%20Fornia_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1200" height="678" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGGiI0mOTJdGw8i6208KMlqDw3C49cLdVJtCq4iHUrMxxEXPGtDMvqbtYveZzhS6NyTMEuzvsemy9lpwII0Me6ImN7xdyP60UP43gZmTcSK3q44P3wPSoWq9cwv3dJ3EQW3NdWj-TRMSNzW9IwQ1UXUOtuC1mABFLjfsSlqqtMmx25fD7kD5_nfZpNhnK/w407-h678/Map%20of%20Kingdom%20of%20Fornia_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="407" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Map of The Kingdom of Fornia,</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">On the Western Coast of Amera, World of Rith.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Meanwhile, other Player Characters popped in and out as various interesting and odd people that added to the setting's lore and the story's intricate plot. Among the ones I remember best include. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A Mercenary working for the Kingdom of Nev who is convinced to switch sides.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A Knight Captain of the City of Francis, who leads Gareth to a secret island fortress.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A Wizard, imprisoned on said island fortress, joins Gareth to find an mythic artifact.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">An Elf, one of the last on Rith, allies with the heroes to battle one of the major villains.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Highlights:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I remember cool story elements and general battles but stand out moments are hard to recall. It was a short campaign of maybe two dozen sessions or less and it was so long ago. Hmmm. </div><div><br /></div><div>I do recall one awesome session where Gareth and two other PCs were fighting a half dozen members of the enemy army including a leader with a custom weapon or something. The heroes were searching through the ruins of the ancient city of Diego in Southern Fornia hoping to find a relic that could protect a Mech with a 'Magic Shield' (in others words, a Force Field). Suddenly the enemy showed with the same idea.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately the battle woke a huge Dragon; yep, a freaking Kaiju scale fire-breathing monster. The enemy commander teamed up with the PCs to battle the gigantic beast using the Force Field Belt he'd discovered moments before it appeared. After a conversation about honor and one's legacy with Gareth, the guy sacrifices himself to give the PCs an opening to slay the creature. Pretty fantastic 'episode' I must say.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The game information regarding this campaign is long since lost but I can recollect a few details and speculate on others:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #d9ead3;"><b>Gareth of Ollwood </b>(really Prince Regan Angel of Fornia)</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Age: 20</div><div><br /></div><div>Stats</div><div><br /></div><div>7 Intelligence</div><div>7 Cool </div><div>8 Reflexes</div><div>7 Attractiveness</div><div>6 Tech Ability</div><div>8 Luck</div><div>6 Movement Allowance</div><div>7 Body</div><div><br /></div><div>10* Mana - Latent</div><div><br /></div><div>Skills and Levels</div><div><br /></div><div>Awareness 3</div><div>Basic Repair 3</div><div>Etiquette 3</div><div>Dodge 5</div><div>Hand-to-Hand 3</div><div>Investigate 3</div><div>Leadership 3</div><div>Mecha Piloting 7</div><div>Mecha Fighting 5</div><div>Mecha Melee 7</div><div>Mecha Gunnery 3</div><div>Melee 7</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Partial Plate Armor: 5 Points of Stopping Power. </div><div>Long Sword: 1D6+1</div><div><br /></div><div>I forget what the specifics of the Ritters were but generally they were Medium Striker grade Mecha with Striker grade armor. They were armed with Swords (standard 2 Kill Melee Weapons) and Shields. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Bizmark on the other hand was a Heavy Striker Mech with Heavy Striker armor. It was quite fast, maneuverable, and could make extraordinarily high or long leaps. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Mech's weapon was a Bastard Sword that did 4 Kills of damage. Once Gareth unlocked his true potential and that of the Bizmark, the Sword could perform an extra special effect on a Critical Success. In addition to double damage (which we had all Crits do), the Bizmark's strike would reduce the damage of an opponents attacks, their movement/speed, and any special abilities by -2. The effect was cumulative. If Gareth Crits on an attack and then Crits again three attacks later in the same combat, the opponent is at -4 and so on.</div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Notes:</span> </b></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div>As should be obvious by now, the 'Medieval Fantasy' setting of the World of Rith is actually a distant future, post-apocalypse Earth. Technology reached great heights before the fall of civilization, with giant robots, hover vehicles, and in-system space travel having all been achieved. </div><div><br /></div><div>Fornia is of course California, with our key character hailing from the region of Los Angeles. The real Gareth comes from Hollywood/Glendale. Other important locations in the game were San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, Anaheim, and San Diego.</div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the early adventures, Gareth/Prince Regan pilots a standard Mecha Solider called a Ritter, one of about two dozen such robots in the Army of Angels (the 'King's Army' from the capital). The Knights of the Order of Angels use the superior Mecha Knights called Templars. Other city-states have their own armies and Knight Orders, mostly consisting of the same two types. All serve the King of Fornia of course. </div><div><br /></div><div>The armies and orders I recall are: the Army/Order of the Black Mouse (Anheim), Army/Order of The Golden Gate (Francis), and the Army/Order of The Redwood (Sierra, North Eastern Fornia). The Dark Desert Army and Order of the Kingdom of Nev (Nevada) use different Mechs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Elves, Dwarves, and various monsters of myth and folklore existed but were exceptionally rare. All were likely the results of genetic engineering and subsequent mutations. There were some clues as to the presence of 'Demons' that may or may not have been aliens. </div><div><br /></div><div>Magic was in truth a combination of highly advanced technology and psychic phenomenon. The later was rarer than rare, giving things a bit of a Pendragon or Lord of the Rings feel. The world was fantastic but one hardly ever saw fantastic things. Spells and Dragons were assumed to exist but most people had never seen them in their lifetimes. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Legacy:</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div>Sadly, this game was never truly finished. For whatever reason we got delayed or distracted and ended up leaving it for other worlds and ideas.</div><div><br /></div><div>As noted in my previous post, I am looking towards running a Medieval Mecha game in the near future. Perhaps we'll revisit Rith and see what Gareth of Ollwood - or Prince Regan if you prefer - is up to.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECOyEW5XW1MC5-t2Zl29Qx5iSzBP5hvnY0jjVkZb1nItnsCDAns5zvChX6aemgb852QvvD9lu5nrQuIWVHc-ssU82FoGJz7i2Cme143mN_JWapoBFbKUU5NmEd296HpODQlGMCWqZ7cfRqr1tpotosNYRdkbgoDGauyDsTw9_slH4G-NyIc0dXufav7zg/s896/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark-Gareth%20Ollwood_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="805" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECOyEW5XW1MC5-t2Zl29Qx5iSzBP5hvnY0jjVkZb1nItnsCDAns5zvChX6aemgb852QvvD9lu5nrQuIWVHc-ssU82FoGJz7i2Cme143mN_JWapoBFbKUU5NmEd296HpODQlGMCWqZ7cfRqr1tpotosNYRdkbgoDGauyDsTw9_slH4G-NyIc0dXufav7zg/w576-h640/Mechanical%20Fantasy%20Bizmark-Gareth%20Ollwood_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you get more Anime than a Cyberpunk Battlesuit Catgirl? If you think so you can take it up with <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">HINTATA 'HELLCAT' NEKOMOTO</span></b>! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">*A reference to the excellent Fantasy Anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-45718608143017390392024-01-24T08:56:00.001-05:002024-01-29T21:55:04.495-05:00You Have My Sword, My Bow, My Mecha<span style="font-family: arial;">The combination of Medieval Fantasy and Giant Robots is nothing new in Anime and Manga, though nor is it especially commonplace. Given the monumental number of Mech series that have come out in Japan, it might be surprising to realize how few of them take place in a Medieval and/or Fantasy setting. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm not entirely sure when and where the idea first appeared but I know my first exposure to it was in the early-to-mid 80s. It was during this period, as I've mentioned in prior posts, that I first became aware of Japanese Anime that hadn't yet left Japan. Amid the initial dozen or so series that I was made aware of were two that fit the rare category in question.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">While other kids across the United States were falling in love with He-Man and The Masters of the Universe and Thundercats, I was watching </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Aura Battler Dunbine</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Panzer World Galient</b><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgCvEnJBN2nCypZFXO5RwHmf0zS2OH3WE-qJogJNKuFraop7Aon9zVMnzfiAo7_rK2pLa158EuaEOtVwAzEQYmjJEr3cB8LsfImcM6xWxai_fp7vaonle2mLauu91x9OIK3LT-s4eyIgwi8NnP5-GtTRa1W5QztBB-xDAbWBlrOK9tOLVbr9gDur7vc0-/s1161/Medieval%20Mecha%20Trinity%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1161" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgCvEnJBN2nCypZFXO5RwHmf0zS2OH3WE-qJogJNKuFraop7Aon9zVMnzfiAo7_rK2pLa158EuaEOtVwAzEQYmjJEr3cB8LsfImcM6xWxai_fp7vaonle2mLauu91x9OIK3LT-s4eyIgwi8NnP5-GtTRa1W5QztBB-xDAbWBlrOK9tOLVbr9gDur7vc0-/w640-h404/Medieval%20Mecha%20Trinity%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My next <b>31 Day Character Challenge</b> entry comes from a Mekton II campaign I ran very much influenced by these aforementioned Mecha Anime. As such, I thought it might be a good idea to discuss these two shows as they aren't among the Mecha series familiar to the average Western Anime fan.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm adding in a third series to this post as well, <b>The Vision of Escaflowne. </b>Even though it came out long after my Medieval Mekton game was over, it remains a favorite and one I think about from time to time. The reason for this is that Escaflowne definitely influenced my later Giant Robot Fantasy projects, most notably when I run Wares Blade. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Aura Battler Dunbine</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWzbPAkeBeUV3lbB_P4k_58mbcaMCcqcVJJGixWT1EEisuolsHcVyFy_JygAPBOgLu5DI5106S8FJVXLNf8YarOpC-aR0DyadI80w8L_YxJaIGB5YoMVoazBD8gbkockl7ZRXtxAcz5DOFCdGO4c2YT7OhNh2xx7VUXSGYHb36zzaQ4n0DSQDQUSXZd6/s1050/Aura%20Battler%20Dunbine%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWzbPAkeBeUV3lbB_P4k_58mbcaMCcqcVJJGixWT1EEisuolsHcVyFy_JygAPBOgLu5DI5106S8FJVXLNf8YarOpC-aR0DyadI80w8L_YxJaIGB5YoMVoazBD8gbkockl7ZRXtxAcz5DOFCdGO4c2YT7OhNh2xx7VUXSGYHb36zzaQ4n0DSQDQUSXZd6/w426-h640/Aura%20Battler%20Dunbine%201.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my early favorites as I was really getting into Anime, Aura Battler Dunbine was written by none other than Yoshiyuki Tomino, the prolific novelist, anime screenwriter, director, songwriter, and creator of Mobile Suit Gundam. </span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The plot revolves around motorcross cyclist Sho Zoma, who
following an accident on his bike, ends up in the Medieval Europe-esque Fantasy
Realm of Byston Well. It is a world of knights, castles, and the faery-like
Ferario. The main draw of the series were the Aura Battlers, insect-like Giant
Robots used by the kingdoms of Byston Well as weapons of war.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">These six meter
plus Mecha are powered a semi-spiritual energy called Aura. Certain people have
especially strong Auras and are therefore able to function as power-supplies to
these Mecha, making them Aura Warriors. As it turns out, beings from our world
seem to have more powerful Auras on average than Byston Well natives, making
visitors a much coveted resources for the armies of various nations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was a lot more to this series then this simple summary of course but suffice to say it was quite an involved tale. This show had quite an impact on me. The key to this series
was its characters and said character drove the plot more so than anything
else. Relationships, romances, enemies becoming lovers, lovers becoming
enemies, dealing with war's effect on individuals, and what some people will do
to have power over others were all explored throughout the shows 40 episodes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally the Mecha designs were quite distinct and
different, though I'll admit they didn't impress me that much at first. It
wasn't until I discovered that the original plan was for the Aura Battlers to
appear both more insectoid and more like knights. These first concepts were
deemed impractical if they wanted to be able to make reasonably priced toys,
models, and other merchandise with the robots so they were altered to more
practical configurations. Later animations were able to realize designer Kazutaka
Miyatake's original ideas, which were further developed by other creatives.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m0uwftJUSHIq7oQZK0nzx8C1snRQw2rhekFG-TR2NZvZ5azUHRh4sW2g721Aqkxh1a14BYcwYVcHOvSNSyLEc_49xPU0hP-L2eTRCf_IDk9He9DOt3UxU8xVs9oenaMoulVeLX22m66k4MM_2V97N_82I6llWKGraDgf2gAwNuBjlxT9iqH7xI8uvg0w/s1178/Aura%20Battler%20Dunbine-Old%20and%20New%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1178" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m0uwftJUSHIq7oQZK0nzx8C1snRQw2rhekFG-TR2NZvZ5azUHRh4sW2g721Aqkxh1a14BYcwYVcHOvSNSyLEc_49xPU0hP-L2eTRCf_IDk9He9DOt3UxU8xVs9oenaMoulVeLX22m66k4MM_2V97N_82I6llWKGraDgf2gAwNuBjlxT9iqH7xI8uvg0w/w640-h528/Aura%20Battler%20Dunbine-Old%20and%20New%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Old Aura Battler design vs. later redesign based on original intention.</span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Panzer World Galient</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWF_pZcgc7jfdpltdnawRGyncYsgTYK8fLPFdkBjgA3bTsRUJxtHNPkBMuI5xNSG7BpyPxrA9gzbG_wY-tOEaBtPMHSNU92SPoocdy3v21Sl6pc7W4bKGiyHACPfcRz8cw6PTT1CXA5lYIW3df1WFsWH8fLlBYDykodriUib-rMwrhFoBNCueT5PH2XPhP/s1000/Panzer%20World%20Galient%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="680" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWF_pZcgc7jfdpltdnawRGyncYsgTYK8fLPFdkBjgA3bTsRUJxtHNPkBMuI5xNSG7BpyPxrA9gzbG_wY-tOEaBtPMHSNU92SPoocdy3v21Sl6pc7W4bKGiyHACPfcRz8cw6PTT1CXA5lYIW3df1WFsWH8fLlBYDykodriUib-rMwrhFoBNCueT5PH2XPhP/w436-h640/Panzer%20World%20Galient%201.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A favorite series of the late, great <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2018/04/player-profiles-allen-halden.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Allen Halden</span></a> and a major inspiration for his own epic campaign, Panzer Dreams (I mean, it's in the title). Broadcast from October of 1984 to March of 1985, Panzer World Galient ran 25 episodes and initially followed a fairly simple story. The protagonist was Prince Jordy Volder, operator of the Mecha known as Galient, who fought against the villainous conqueror Marder.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Intriguingly, the Medieval world they were on, Arst I believe, turns out to be just one planet in a large interstellar union. The setting played a role both subtle and surprising in the series and serves as a great example of how to subvert expectations while adding something to the context of the narrative. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Mecha designs are both very typical and traditional for the time but distinct enough that the look of Galient has always been memorable to me. It isn't as flashy as some or as intimidating as others but its definitely a classic. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VWCblaqx2UVZvffM_5THKZ5rwChJLL7HoTxXIMKxlDPZ4K8yfMODp9fgr1sdSEV8kLHaTPPzure_hGhgunYmAJLp4w5VsP4YIbJWnzrxSo56qYlvJ9jkSKb-kz4rmbpjQRIEOMzSBHc5Uq_D7cWO6kkhNos1O121sTg0SopQk7wxSteVDoLg2TIlnoSd/s656/Panzer%20World%20Galient%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="559" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VWCblaqx2UVZvffM_5THKZ5rwChJLL7HoTxXIMKxlDPZ4K8yfMODp9fgr1sdSEV8kLHaTPPzure_hGhgunYmAJLp4w5VsP4YIbJWnzrxSo56qYlvJ9jkSKb-kz4rmbpjQRIEOMzSBHc5Uq_D7cWO6kkhNos1O121sTg0SopQk7wxSteVDoLg2TIlnoSd/w425-h498/Panzer%20World%20Galient%202.jpg" width="425" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>T</b></span><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">he Vision of Escaflowne</b></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HFoKrTNIcebK0kZdG5FcR2xhVDjjONiwsZAjNvznxALWjMjr3JJgKYiDAiuIoAdjonlYlGG_1ptCugGnTgyMc7xJuWFD8fabgCb1nWdpC-vsnaHhnX4z3KxFe_f3zpAScC-k_OAK8xJGwAogbbFgF8tLhBgLT_mz1AMZI11LH_pZA_horzXpsPUtwt25/s1600/The%20Vision%20of%20Escaflowne%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HFoKrTNIcebK0kZdG5FcR2xhVDjjONiwsZAjNvznxALWjMjr3JJgKYiDAiuIoAdjonlYlGG_1ptCugGnTgyMc7xJuWFD8fabgCb1nWdpC-vsnaHhnX4z3KxFe_f3zpAScC-k_OAK8xJGwAogbbFgF8tLhBgLT_mz1AMZI11LH_pZA_horzXpsPUtwt25/w424-h640/The%20Vision%20of%20Escaflowne%201.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>Created by Shōji Kawamori with Sunrise Studios and directed by Kazuki Akane, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vision_of_Escaflowne"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">The Vision of Escaflowne</span></b></a> is the story of a high school girl named Hitomi Kanzaki, who finds herself transported to a fantastical world called Gaea after witnessing a boy appear in her world fighting a dragon. After reaching Gaia, Hitomi becomes involved in a war when the Zaibach Empire attempts to conquer Gaia. The young Dragonslayer from earlier is revealed to be Van, the King of Fanelia. Finding an additional ally in Allen, an Asturian Knight, Van teams with him and Hitomi to try and defeat the Zaibach Empire and free his world. </div><div><br /></div><div>Van's advantage in this battle is his mystical, transforming Mecha, The Escaflowne. Additionally, Hitomi's appears to possess psychic powers and fortune telling abilities while on Gaia, possibly related to or even stemming from her long time interest in tarot cards. Soon, it becomes apparent she is the key to awakening the full power of Escaflowne and thwarting Zaibach's plans</div><div><br /></div><div>The Vision of Escaflowne aired rom April to September of 1996 on TV Tokyo in Japan. It was eventually broadcast on Animax, a channel set up by Sony, that allowed it to be shown in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and elsewhere in Asia. 'Region 1' countries were able to see it thanks to its release in those areas by Bandai Entertainment. The series is currently available for viewing on Crunchyroll.</div><div><br /></div><div>Escaflowne was a favorite of myself and many of friends in my old New Jersey Gaming Group, as well as my ex-wife. While the world and its nature are very specific and different from those of Wares Blade, there are elements of the two that remind me of each other. It's hard to put my finger on. Something in world building perhaps. The sense of mysticism in a world with Giant Robots really comes through in Vision of Escaflowne, giving the story a unique atmosphere.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGeUKL5UMv7zXghyKn9-uaXbVUlrCOIwhyeP5OxTMEk_u3KoVTswl1dglBhwDAM831LRmmYkwvd3Y7CTjbWCgvXOQSqIyx6ITRwmSOpr7HBOSsI7zTzHEUk5IBTI7NgQ2KcEKVaY40eO1PX5xjmJKuxbeSPceK20y-D2hXUDFWp7Jqz_EJ9TwmXyDOJVe/s1441/Escaflowne%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1441" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGeUKL5UMv7zXghyKn9-uaXbVUlrCOIwhyeP5OxTMEk_u3KoVTswl1dglBhwDAM831LRmmYkwvd3Y7CTjbWCgvXOQSqIyx6ITRwmSOpr7HBOSsI7zTzHEUk5IBTI7NgQ2KcEKVaY40eO1PX5xjmJKuxbeSPceK20y-D2hXUDFWp7Jqz_EJ9TwmXyDOJVe/w640-h390/Escaflowne%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've spoken about </span><a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2013/07/magic-and-machinery.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Wares Blade</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">, Japan's classic Magic and Machinery TRPG several times now and I am considering running it again. As such, I started to think about the various inspirations for the game and for other games like it. What else is like it? At this point there are actually quite a few. Relatively recent examples include </span><a href="https://weregazelle.itch.io/armour-astir" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Armour Astir: Advent</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><a href="https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/389281/Knights-of-the-Round-Academy--ENGLISH-EDITION" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Knights of the Round Table: Academy</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I feel this idea requires further deliberation. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ever onward...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-76033224328095344092024-01-20T15:04:00.005-05:002024-01-23T09:03:51.653-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - FAR FUTURE GIRL<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am SUPER excited (heh, see what I did there?) to include this very special character in the 31 Days / 31 Character Challenge! I've been obsessed with the <b>Deadline Heroes RPG</b> for some time now so it was a given that I'd include a character from the game. Unfortunately, I've not yet run or played it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Therefore, in a departure from my other entries for the 31 Days Character Challenge</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, this is an original character I created just for the 2024 edition. That's right, for a change of pace I'm going to things that way they're supposed to be done! Inconceivable!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Did I mention I haven't been able to completely translate the rules for Character Creation yet? Anyway, let's go!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5VoGdlji2DbOC0v7cH5Gmi8By0cAV-6LJmz4NgKV6R05P-Llbh1IrRibbOuE8IznsHvuHV_OC_aCRwSiXywVw-z46_T7gat1gGVIQGnKkjM7I_M83DJkxAOQW72gCTxEfUcOLiDWAINInO0gefBDjVDYQrGMv_XINE8-Kwf5KwosI6zeL2fWn8XUczNp/s650/Far%20Future%20Girl-Portrait_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="635" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5VoGdlji2DbOC0v7cH5Gmi8By0cAV-6LJmz4NgKV6R05P-Llbh1IrRibbOuE8IznsHvuHV_OC_aCRwSiXywVw-z46_T7gat1gGVIQGnKkjM7I_M83DJkxAOQW72gCTxEfUcOLiDWAINInO0gefBDjVDYQrGMv_XINE8-Kwf5KwosI6zeL2fWn8XUczNp/w432-h442/Far%20Future%20Girl-Portrait_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Far Future Girl</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> The Tomorrow Hero, Alura Zordox</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> None yet. Possibly me, possibly an NPC.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Deadline Heroes</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> Endless possibilities. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> None Yet. Maybe me?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> Today 2024</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> Again, I've been wanting to run or play this game forever but haven't been able to find enough of the material translated into English to make this viable. Luckily I am nothing if not persistent (read: obsessive, hyper-focused). I was recently able to find a number of resources including a set of Quickstart Rules (or 'Trial Set' as the website calls it), Actual Play reports, Sample Characters, and run them through a few translation programs. </div><div><br /></div><div>By essentially reverse-engineering some character temples and fan-made PCs, I was able to creation Far Future Girl. It's me, so I knew I wanted her to be an Alien. As for powers, I wanted a classic Superhero of the American Flying Paragon variety. Messing with some AI Art designs to get a basic idea I ended up with a character that, to me at least, looked like a Japanese Anime take on the Legion of Superheroes. So, that's what I went with. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tGWKK1KXzWNwVkPvdM4caAZnN71SBLtmDqs41ZR9Nt6599tYeEIhLGvgP5eAiMn8x5x3EsmAg3HKt1Tmn3s5LB22-M3U92MXzCM3PSJiwK0GEObh6sW9vlKG3VCPbLTdLUiFrC0nCPwBGIT0T8tUalXe1YxFrBSBKTVt30tFtIawfDnjEooWD_plU90I/s640/Deadline%20Heroes_Core%20Rulebook_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tGWKK1KXzWNwVkPvdM4caAZnN71SBLtmDqs41ZR9Nt6599tYeEIhLGvgP5eAiMn8x5x3EsmAg3HKt1Tmn3s5LB22-M3U92MXzCM3PSJiwK0GEObh6sW9vlKG3VCPbLTdLUiFrC0nCPwBGIT0T8tUalXe1YxFrBSBKTVt30tFtIawfDnjEooWD_plU90I/w450-h640/Deadline%20Heroes_Core%20Rulebook_Front.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div><br /></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> Alura Zordox was a new Superhero on her first mission after graduating from a Hero Academy in the campaign city...one thousand years in the future! She encountered a villain with a Time/Space Warping power and accidentally flew right into one of his portals. She popped out a similar portal but in the 21st century!</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Still going at her full burst flight speed, Alura slammed into the extraterrestrial villainess Kokorosa-Chan, leader of the Earth Invasion Society. Kokorosa had hypnotized a bunch of young male heroes and were having them walk into her own Time/Space gate when Alura crashed into her. The collision made Kokorosa-chan loose concentration. The brainwashed boys were freed but spent a few moments thoroughly confused. Suddenly, one of them shouted to Alura that Kokorosa-chan was a villain trying to take over the Earth!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65B90yGqDcuRqhVuRU85zwR5ryrZ1lnUNFNXiMzLoWSbmE7ah7mMrHGOfwsIT2YgeeUI2VFQ2b92pPXBliazfHTLcKaJ88chLlFWFjDdmoF3C8UpDtyWHZGRJ2aHrUmEf0ZIL-dENqH_6lcYp3EEcBkKFYTrEaXURRq9GkbWWczrb6HPBid6S0D5SwjIp/s800/Earth%20Invasion%20Society_Deadline%20Heroes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="542" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65B90yGqDcuRqhVuRU85zwR5ryrZ1lnUNFNXiMzLoWSbmE7ah7mMrHGOfwsIT2YgeeUI2VFQ2b92pPXBliazfHTLcKaJ88chLlFWFjDdmoF3C8UpDtyWHZGRJ2aHrUmEf0ZIL-dENqH_6lcYp3EEcBkKFYTrEaXURRq9GkbWWczrb6HPBid6S0D5SwjIp/w434-h640/Earth%20Invasion%20Society_Deadline%20Heroes.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;">Kokorosa-chan, Leader of the Earth Invasion Society</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">from the Deadline Heroes RPG supplement, 'Villains Showcase'</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zordox seemed to recognize Kokorosa-chan at that moment and hit her with a Thousand Year Punch! The other heroes shook off their stupor and together all of them were able to subdue the Earth Invasion Society and its leader. The guys cheered for Alura and soon introduced her to other heroes. After explaining she was from the year 302X, the modern heroes dubbed her the Tomorrow Hero: Far Future Girl!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> I see Far Future girl as a somewhat naive though very intelligent young woman who has quickly fallen in love with the 21st century. She loves to hang out with the other heroes, eat hamburgers and instant ramen, play video games, go to the movies, check out social media, and do all the typical things a normal young adult person does.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">At the same time she is very confused by things we take for granted. You need a job to pay for food and shelter? Why? You still have trash? There's no Teleporter Booths to get around the world. How do you go to another country or to the Moon for a concert? What? No one lives on the Moon? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Alura misses her Mom and Dad very much, mentioning in passing they her father is a Superhero and her mother one of the smartest Super-Scientist's in the galaxy. She definitely gets homesick but also really enjoys being here in our present. Far Future Girl is a young hero torn. Should she stay in the 21st century or find a way to get back to her future?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Highlights:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have any yet as I haven't played her but I look forward to making some. I feel like Far Future Girl will be a really fun character to play. In my mind she's a mix of Supergirl and the Teen Titans Animated Series version of Starfire. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>As noted I don't have the full Character Creation rules available to me in English. Luckily, it seems that in Japan a common practice is to take one of the templates or sample characters, change their name and appearance to whatever the player prefers, and then run them from there. As the player and PC go on from scenario to scenario that character gains Growth Points used to improve and customize them further, resulting in a unique PC after initially being a 'copy' of a pre-made one. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was able to translate some of the sample characters, including a number of different '<b>Harbingers</b>', the Origin type recommended for playing beings from another world such as Gods or Aliens (Thor, Wonder Woman, and Superman are described as examples of Harbingers). Kitbashing some of the these sample characters together and modifying some of the powers here and there (based on other powers from other characters) I was able to create Far Future Girl's sheet.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECovRlr3zV3g6vZQ1Vy2LQFBaFwsrxVS84RssTBRyN9cxAGrmX9T8-k0IxSqKzzxEaLAzoC9D5uNc8i-oO-6qEwid8_xVea0KHLYjAz3NFvc63x1G-57PZredVlIeVEkL77eMHyQPcFQiMG31XQXf5A_EZDHbZRtvrZa5NhOg0OXg8R3LpUarwWlOq8K3/s1251/Deadline%20Heroes_Character%20Sheet-Far%20Future%20GIrl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1251" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECovRlr3zV3g6vZQ1Vy2LQFBaFwsrxVS84RssTBRyN9cxAGrmX9T8-k0IxSqKzzxEaLAzoC9D5uNc8i-oO-6qEwid8_xVea0KHLYjAz3NFvc63x1G-57PZredVlIeVEkL77eMHyQPcFQiMG31XQXf5A_EZDHbZRtvrZa5NhOg0OXg8R3LpUarwWlOq8K3/w640-h568/Deadline%20Heroes_Character%20Sheet-Far%20Future%20GIrl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>I'm not entirely sure how 'rules as written' accurate this she is but it seems pretty close to other PCs I've seen. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Her main abilities, <b>Body</b>, <b>Spirit</b>, and <b>Environment</b>, come from her Harbinger template, as does her <b>Life</b>, <b>Sanity</b>, and <b>Credits</b>. As for the powers, as I noted above, I took a few liberties with ones I had seen on the sample sheets. <b>High Speed Movement </b>(which I explain as <b>Flight</b>) is one that is directly from the game. Her <b>Thousand Year Punch</b> was inspired by the games' <b>One Million Power</b>. The punch seems less versatile and I'm fine with that. <b>Body of Steel </b>is akin to the powers <b>Armor Shield</b>, <b>Barrier</b>, and <b>Iron Body</b>. <b>Guardian</b> is also a power directly from the game (translated as <b>Guard</b>) but I was unclear how it works so I came up with a less powerful but very flexible variant. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One thing I found really funny was that the Harbinger gets no Skill Level bonuses at all. The explanation is that these characters both rely on their powers and physical prowess more and are often unfamiliar with the mundane things a normal Human would have to do. <br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Notes:</span> </b></div><div><br /></div><div>In DC Comics, Alura Zor-El is the name of Supergirl's mother. Querl Dox is the true name of the Legion of Superheroes member Brainiac 5, an alien of the Coluan species and a descendant of the villain Brainiac. Far Future Girl's real name pays homage to Supergirl and Brainiac 5 who were a romantic couple in the Legion of Superheroes comic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taking some inspiration from this and the Japanese Anime 'Project: A-ko', I imagine Alura Zordox is the daughter of a genderbent version of the pair; a female Brainiac 5 and a male Supergirl (a variant Superboy I suppose. Superlad?).</div><div><br /></div><div>The One Million Power that Thousand Year Punch is based on was definitely inspired by the power of the same name in the Anime/Manga 'Tiger and Bunny'. I additionally wanted a little 'Texas Smash', the super punch used by All Might and Deku in My Hero Academia. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why did Alura recognize Kokorosa-chan? I'm thinking there is a villain in her future time of the same species. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Legacy:</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span>Me. Anime. Superheroes. How could I not like this?</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>It is heavily structured however, as are many modern Japanese TRPGs and that might end up annoying me in the long run. Still, if there is a way to loosen it up a bit, I would definitely use Deadline Heroes as a reoccurring and/or ongoing fill-in game for when we can't play one of our regularly scheduled campaigns. </span></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh9Suut0BUoOnzGaP58Kx_IpuExXrTSYRHWK5sPbYYiVd6LK2yIRM1r1QrBsj2KNJsfFjGUAg38NkDf3_GwFBPBuFySpX1puQXDlcBhbGsbnqUsjzwW97x8Kmavl20bHjzxFEEkDfq-MaX_yR1zpv2Xpaa8mMrsP98pv5zzMkVvScq-6p8X97GXzZSEN2/s879/Far%20Future%20Girl-Full%20Figure_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="641" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh9Suut0BUoOnzGaP58Kx_IpuExXrTSYRHWK5sPbYYiVd6LK2yIRM1r1QrBsj2KNJsfFjGUAg38NkDf3_GwFBPBuFySpX1puQXDlcBhbGsbnqUsjzwW97x8Kmavl20bHjzxFEEkDfq-MaX_yR1zpv2Xpaa8mMrsP98pv5zzMkVvScq-6p8X97GXzZSEN2/w466-h640/Far%20Future%20Girl-Full%20Figure_Midjourney%20AD.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">From the far future to modern day to a Medieval Post-Apocalypse Fantasy! Swords, Sorcery, and Giant Robots clash as we meet <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">GARETH of OLLWOOD</span></b>! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Have at Thee! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-53669003171254154202024-01-17T08:53:00.005-05:002024-01-18T10:23:53.794-05:00Superheroes - American Style<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've discussed the distinctly Japanese Tokusatsu genre of Superheroes already, so now I'd like to address Japan's take on Superheroes of the West.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5zn0gPGy-p947N6mulgceAqRn9RNwLwyYGsyofzpeYw8qux8Bi298tv8ofLoeXB7e_ZusPOdGFicmfu__cA6KcI4OQZmGwdaLPCNxiN-uUydYJLurXPPG6253tfJkpjeJFVMEXINwVozovHkNafNgrak0mJ_guy3blgs6gTB4VYGcD5lEi4AKISE2rTA/s1200/Deadline%20Heroes_Core%20Rulebook_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="844" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5zn0gPGy-p947N6mulgceAqRn9RNwLwyYGsyofzpeYw8qux8Bi298tv8ofLoeXB7e_ZusPOdGFicmfu__cA6KcI4OQZmGwdaLPCNxiN-uUydYJLurXPPG6253tfJkpjeJFVMEXINwVozovHkNafNgrak0mJ_guy3blgs6gTB4VYGcD5lEi4AKISE2rTA/w450-h640/Deadline%20Heroes_Core%20Rulebook_Front.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As with Science Fiction novels, the first exposure to US published Comic Book Superheroes the Japan people would've had would've been from American Servicemen post-WW II. Superman was first published in Japanese in Japan in the 1950s. Manga anthology magazines began serializing American comics in the late 60s and early 70s. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I can remember back in the late 80s and early 90s, when Anime and Manga were first making major inroads into the American market, that being an American fan of Japanese shows and comics was still considered very underground. Likewise, being a Japanese Otaku dedicated to America comics was similarly niche. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fanzines and Doujinshi covering Marvel and DC Superheroes did exist in this period, with the Wolfman/Perez run on Teen Titans and the Claremont/Byrne X-Men being especially popular among a small but growing Japanese audience. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Z5a9M5PwTwsUVnw3X4Ji9CxgOm9TMxq4EYMKX6Doxwc29eszKBLUer8CzCXqR4Dww4mqvRKC5mvCnROJBRQk-bRvv3mMi7CEA95gHoqq3JZpY-Av2Nrv0HChi9GZ6zkZD-tnqq3fwHAMQLgioyQe9dT-JYLpKUPwBVCTWj-WYjLYkcnao-uvPi0Qexr1/s879/Batman%20Manga-Batgirl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="624" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Z5a9M5PwTwsUVnw3X4Ji9CxgOm9TMxq4EYMKX6Doxwc29eszKBLUer8CzCXqR4Dww4mqvRKC5mvCnROJBRQk-bRvv3mMi7CEA95gHoqq3JZpY-Av2Nrv0HChi9GZ6zkZD-tnqq3fwHAMQLgioyQe9dT-JYLpKUPwBVCTWj-WYjLYkcnao-uvPi0Qexr1/w454-h640/Batman%20Manga-Batgirl.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Batman Manga - Artist Jiro Kuwata</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">1966-1967</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My friend Rina had collected some of these doujinshi and brought them to show me when she visited the US during the Summer. The younger brother of a girl I later dated was a Star Trek and X-Men fanatic for sure and that was around 1995-96.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, the widespread popularity of American Superheroes was kicked into high gear thanks to TV shows and Movies. The CW programs featuring Green Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl and others broad the genre to the masses, though that pales in comparison to the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SAF_fZz2rownDizD9mcp8O1LwKyD7wd1HEw5i-jAzv_nGCm9sy3Riz6y1tiqcS4fuF29X2mLNmAJHjzOZHqoMQhyphenhyphenXiV3HSWU3AbJzjK1usGzpTD-Dq0YHm87RTtojmJQs-3f1V4irA9hlbkjBXQk4PebXQYX2ylPrYUDDCuMkF9rsyzvPxJl9qMUEXzV/s996/Marvel%20Heroes-MHA_Kohei%20Horikoshi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="996" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SAF_fZz2rownDizD9mcp8O1LwKyD7wd1HEw5i-jAzv_nGCm9sy3Riz6y1tiqcS4fuF29X2mLNmAJHjzOZHqoMQhyphenhyphenXiV3HSWU3AbJzjK1usGzpTD-Dq0YHm87RTtojmJQs-3f1V4irA9hlbkjBXQk4PebXQYX2ylPrYUDDCuMkF9rsyzvPxJl9qMUEXzV/w640-h450/Marvel%20Heroes-MHA_Kohei%20Horikoshi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marvel Superheroes by My Hero Academia Creator Kohei Horikoshi.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the same time, the MCU doesn't top the charts in Japan the way it does in the West and indeed elsewhere. To understand why they is might taking a deeper dive into the subject than this post is meant to due but it definitely has roots in Japanese culture and preferences. Key factors include Japanese protagonists tend to be younger, they are often awkward underdogs who take a while to get good at their special abilities, and the designs and other visual are just very different from what Japanese fans have come to expect in their Pop Cultuer Entertainment. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, there are those creatives in Japan who truly love American Comics and have found a way to make them appealing to a Japanese audience. Just look at the work of Kohei Horikoshi, the writer and artist behind one of Japan's biggest Anime and Manga hits in recent years, My Hero Academia. Not only has he created a successful series of Manga based on the Western Superhero with a Japanese twist, it has been made into a popular Anime TV series, a few Anime films, and a number of spin-off Manga (I am particularly fond of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes!). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He's not the only one. There's Tiger and Bunny, One-Punch Man, and a Manga series from last year the became an Anime back in October called SHY, just to name a few of the most well known examples.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhpHml_iZvh7xMNdodJjdbZi0Mvr6F3RBgbaDLxvKegR0qAWZ4_mCrv5FBcgfPQTQX4r1wF4WDBS9ZNsuwDBtEtf23g3YNTkXhbBBsXk7sUcj9XR2iJf9CnqMWLkOpOGdWNwadieO__1vnqFQnLd_XnzslS8AACiMjo-Lhkyg4urIbsRROb8o0dE9MZKB/s2131/MHA%20Vigilantes%20and%20SHY.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="2131" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhpHml_iZvh7xMNdodJjdbZi0Mvr6F3RBgbaDLxvKegR0qAWZ4_mCrv5FBcgfPQTQX4r1wF4WDBS9ZNsuwDBtEtf23g3YNTkXhbBBsXk7sUcj9XR2iJf9CnqMWLkOpOGdWNwadieO__1vnqFQnLd_XnzslS8AACiMjo-Lhkyg4urIbsRROb8o0dE9MZKB/w640-h196/MHA%20Vigilantes%20and%20SHY.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Left: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Right: SHY</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>So what about American Style Superhero Role-Playing in Japan? Well, this looks like a job for...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlmENf89hKbF2wXE6S7kOF43QJfrovz9cYaKXIEwVz-TpxsUFP7k5jCnag8RPzkeDYPHHobXQk1kVPM6_Qz-GHtayF8FhbiWQ9ObBD61brD_0qUAPLvobUMTDIMqOfuaCbyOzjzBt0a6eg9_JS7guJY2Seeub6KbWsSyv8F2xfFoXNLuiLgxjfstd25pv/s897/Deadline%20Heroes-Trail%20Set%20Logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="897" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlmENf89hKbF2wXE6S7kOF43QJfrovz9cYaKXIEwVz-TpxsUFP7k5jCnag8RPzkeDYPHHobXQk1kVPM6_Qz-GHtayF8FhbiWQ9ObBD61brD_0qUAPLvobUMTDIMqOfuaCbyOzjzBt0a6eg9_JS7guJY2Seeub6KbWsSyv8F2xfFoXNLuiLgxjfstd25pv/w640-h184/Deadline%20Heroes-Trail%20Set%20Logo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Author:</b> Takashi Nagata</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Studio:</b> Rommel Games<br /><b>Publisher:</b> Rommel Games / Fujimi Shobo<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Deadline Heroes, while not a major player in the Japanese TRPG market, has a dedicated fanbase that appears to absolutely love this game. It has a number of supplements and pre-made adventure scenarios both official and fan-made. Personally, I can see why...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Deadline Heroes differs from other Japanese Superhero Tabletop RPGs in that it really isn't a 'Japanese Superhero' game at all. It's an American Superhero RPG made by Japanese creatives. Most of it's tropes, mechanics, and even the look of its pre-made heroes and villains are more in line with Western Comic than Manga. Well...sort of.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you've watched Japanese Anime or read Manga such as One-Punch Man, Tiger & Bunny, and My Hero Academia you'll notice that the Japanese depiction of Western style Supers, especially the villains, is very distinctly Japanese. Most Supervillains are quite monstrous in appearance (though not all) and the costumes worn by many of the good guys are more over-the-top than even the most avant garde American heroes. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Still, this game and the genre it seeks to represent is undeniably clear; these are masked crimefighters in colorful outfits using their wits, weaponry, and wonderous powers to protect the citizens of this fair city from criminals, catastrophes, and would-be world conquerors. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisW-c09hnuBO4LYkqqzdsTeOjR7xSZiHOACp2KTYlUKrFF6vZuSI46kfD3zk5El_I7yGdU8j3whThf0x7FJRwXuVVY83zgFUrb1yCxC2qhrbRkLjWhE2eAyz9gc095mRE8ju9smgWQLfF/s991/Deadline+Heroes_Hero+Introduction+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="991" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisW-c09hnuBO4LYkqqzdsTeOjR7xSZiHOACp2KTYlUKrFF6vZuSI46kfD3zk5El_I7yGdU8j3whThf0x7FJRwXuVVY83zgFUrb1yCxC2qhrbRkLjWhE2eAyz9gc095mRE8ju9smgWQLfF/w640-h435/Deadline+Heroes_Hero+Introduction+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Not Wolverine, Isn't Scarlet Witch, Different-from-Iron Man,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Definitely-Not Black Widow, No-Where-Near Hulk, and Nearly-But-Not-Quite Thor</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">would like a word with you evil doer!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The game first came out in 2013-2014 and somewhat uncharacteristically [for a JTRPG] uses both D10s and D6s. The game is generally viewed as very easy to learn and play. Character Creation works by choosing a Superhero Origin which gives you your Stats and the kinds of Superpowers, Equipment, and Abilities you have access to. Next you pick the options that add details you want for your character.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Superhero Origins are:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Enhanced:</span> Someone given powers through accident or experiment. Super Soldiers, Hulks.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Harbinger:</span> Beings from beyond our world or dimension. Aliems, Gods. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Justicar</span>: A normal person with super training and discipline. Dark Detective, Amazing Archer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Mystic</span>: A person with magic spells or supernatural powers. Sorcerers, Witches.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Scion:</span> A member of a superhuman race or species. Mutants, Atlanteans. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Technomancer:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Technology and the power of science! Armored Heroes, Cyborgs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUmeJy0NlFZNZM_6MDysv1TjmGN68JHS92Tg3f1MxjjcTqA6YGpyvJCnMRK3cze9nmy6QZwHrrihfGiz1SX6XLByJHAbAWfbi6zKUEAj2Og8RELdjwelYSEwQB71hsV8DOAEvbUL0XgO0uCwLe3rsD3i9O0FBE6-AfGnLSJtsbyB4H-9ZRNQrgPI9pnlj/s1758/Character%20Origins_Deadline%20Heroes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1758" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUmeJy0NlFZNZM_6MDysv1TjmGN68JHS92Tg3f1MxjjcTqA6YGpyvJCnMRK3cze9nmy6QZwHrrihfGiz1SX6XLByJHAbAWfbi6zKUEAj2Og8RELdjwelYSEwQB71hsV8DOAEvbUL0XgO0uCwLe3rsD3i9O0FBE6-AfGnLSJtsbyB4H-9ZRNQrgPI9pnlj/w640-h320/Character%20Origins_Deadline%20Heroes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additional elements of Character Creation figuring out ones Powers, Skills, Credit, Grit, and Sanity (the last three are types of game mechanic currency). One of the things I love is as these resources dwindle you get closer to unconsciousness and death but also get a bonus to your effectiveness as you become desperate to win, hence </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Deadline</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Heroes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>As with many Japanese TRPGS of the last decade, the game uses a ;phase system' to progress the session's events. During the I<b>ntroduction Phase</b> characters entered the story and determine what is going on. It is the discover and investigation part of the scenario. After that you enter the <b>Deployment Phase</b> and complete various Challenges. If your hero or team can best these Challenge you move on to the <b>Decisive Battle Phase </b>where you'll face off against<b> </b>the villain(s)<b> </b>of the adventure. Be warned! Fail to beat any of the Challenge events in the previous phase and you'll start your Decisive Battle at a disadvantage. Great Scott! </div><div><br /></div><div>Another thing about Deadline Heroes I find really interesting is that the studio that makes it, ROMMEL GAMES, produced about a half dozen sourcebooks, supplements, and scenarios in house while the rest are fan made and then published through them. The game is almost entirely supported by the Doujinshi market and the fans of DLH have really made some great stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the current supplemental material includes:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBwjpIjq4yM3bCLzCvU4Ezb8sXnypSXLiD4J1WXWnQ6wk8k6QC8wAyXspgM8fdorj6jWL00WL91i_uzym3lgyb_lpYuc-m1r2WHQlGIJq1xizwEB4o1skxFSbHqyqThAF0Ii4JvAGziABaKRV4EQJk5hDncK6486nRiAWDua9cXYbX29_qvmb0Vr76Bg3/s1797/Deadline%20Heroes%20Supplements%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1797" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBwjpIjq4yM3bCLzCvU4Ezb8sXnypSXLiD4J1WXWnQ6wk8k6QC8wAyXspgM8fdorj6jWL00WL91i_uzym3lgyb_lpYuc-m1r2WHQlGIJq1xizwEB4o1skxFSbHqyqThAF0Ii4JvAGziABaKRV4EQJk5hDncK6486nRiAWDua9cXYbX29_qvmb0Vr76Bg3/w640-h224/Deadline%20Heroes%20Supplements%201.jpg" width="640" /></b></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>School of Madness</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A supplemental including new rules, character creation options, and a very cool setting that gives Deadline Heroes its own 'My Hero Academia' </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Villain Showcase</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A collection of adventure scenarios, each introducing a new villain organization and their leaders. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a very distinct flavor to the villains of the game and its one you do see reflected in other Japanese Superhero content. Manner of them seem especially monstrous, particularly in appearance I could probably do an entire post just on this subject.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Find Weakness</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Adds the concept of Weaknesses to the game, giving your hero bonuses for being allergic to alien rocks or unable to harm things made of wood. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Power to the People</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mainly a selection of new options, powers, and scenarios, there seems to be a focus on street crime of the Batman and Daredevil variety. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In conclusion (for now), Deadline Heroes is a really intriguing look in Japan's American Superhero Fandom as well as its RPG culture. I really love some of the ideas in this game, while others are too heavily structured for me personally. I would love to tinker with it to adapt it to something more in line with my approach to Supers RPGs. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To that end, get ready for something a little different as I try to create a Deadline Heroes character for my next 31 Day Character Challenge entry.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Go Justice!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-73345935648176473552024-01-14T23:21:00.005-05:002024-02-06T00:40:08.548-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - DEE HOSHIYORU<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Creguian </b>(pronounced KREG-e-on) is the name of a Japanese Play-by-Mail Role-Playing Game that began in 1990 and continued on until the parent company Hobby Data went out of business suddenly in 2003. Over the 13 years that Creguian ran, the game became incredibly popular, resulting in a Tabletop RPG boxed set released in 1992.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally, a second boxed set expansion, a softcover supplement, and a dozen published scenarios were produced. Numerous light novels based on the background events of the setting were published as well. Over the course of its 10+ years, the actions of its player base generated and developed the characters, equipment, and events of the game's universe as much as any material issued forth by those running the PBM. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At a NJ gaming convention in 1992 I met a fellow whose older brother was in the military and had been stationed in Japan for some time at that point. We got to talking about Japanese RPGs and he mentioned his brother playing Japanese made games as well as one or two that were PBM. The older brother had sent some of the tabletop games back home to his young sibling and in fact, the fella had brought some of these games to the show. We met after the convention for dinner and he pulled a few JTRPGs out of his backpack: Sword World, Horai School Advenure, and none other than Creguian. I'd seen ads for Creguian in Japan's Dragon Magazine and it had always intrigued to me. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The guy ended up running a session with myself and two friends and it was great, largely because of the world building. The Creguian setting was very interesting to me. I honestly don't recall the rules very well, except that it reminded me of classic Traveller, though if I recall correctly it was 2D10 instead of two 2D6 for resolution. That or it may have been a percentile system but I distinctly remember getting a strong Traveller vibe from the game. Before the con ended, this guy was able to photocopy some of the English translation pages and gave them to me. Combining these notes with MegaTraveller I was able to run a short Creguian campaign of my own a week or two later. It rocked and featured this awesome character by a very cool gal I used to know...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4QOUaluAzJ5g0jXW29Jcz8B7ApGjeqWoJLwPg03RY2Ts5lcYJ2lM_0iAtzSV6k-ppe1RYZeeHh0n_J8yYQ1VFjkVX_iD0VU2ZxRIbE2VLsTnc8xpnOSmGP2cApoGMjOe4oooECr8RtQO2RHMS1dZlzZhFaLwqtfYC7rckzLQzSOfQJq2d-J-ImpLtAxg/s650/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Portrait_Creguian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4QOUaluAzJ5g0jXW29Jcz8B7ApGjeqWoJLwPg03RY2Ts5lcYJ2lM_0iAtzSV6k-ppe1RYZeeHh0n_J8yYQ1VFjkVX_iD0VU2ZxRIbE2VLsTnc8xpnOSmGP2cApoGMjOe4oooECr8RtQO2RHMS1dZlzZhFaLwqtfYC7rckzLQzSOfQJq2d-J-ImpLtAxg/w365-h400/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Portrait_Creguian.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Dee Hoshiyoru</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Lady Star, Starlight.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Sasha</div><div><br /></div><div>I think. I can't clearly remember her name. I can picture her in my mind like our last encounter was yesterday when it's got to be 30+ years since we last saw her. She was of mixed-heritage; her father African-American and Latin-American, her mother Caucasian and Japanese. She was strikingly attractive. </div><div><br /></div><div>She always wore a black leather [motorcycle?] jacket, biker shorts, and either a punk band or comic book related t-shirt. That's all regardless of season or temperature btw. Overall she looked like a rock-n'-roll fitness instructor, which incidentally she was. Her day job was as a personal trainer. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Creguian, Tabletop RPG / MegaTraveller.</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign: </b>Homeward Bound</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1992</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> I remember discussing my experience playing Creguian with a friend at my job [at a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book and Comic Book store] when another regular customer standing nearby, Sasha, said how cool it sounded. All three of us got to talking and decided to get together to run a game. Adding two others, we ran a trial session; basically a one-shot just to show everyone what the game was all about. Sasha asked me, "So what happens next?". Checking with the others to see if anyone else was interested in answering that question I got a resounding 'let's find out'. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczUBrqH9kBDse2nBnWQ8gaisBFux5Fm532UbNrEy8fZIpfh5Bkhua6ww-eirzm5yoRBRm_-XYLXsrWk9sYov7ZrLVFUpzHkdWXg-tbQL6f8MOJ5nev_oB380DaYq4jqNMKZtonpPkqp0OHC5b27s1ErVQ3eKtI6Qk2sqnY7mXVZDk2-srFl6Q38nSrj7x/s1162/Creguian-RPG%20Core%20Rules%20Cover%20Art_Hobby%20Data.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="909" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczUBrqH9kBDse2nBnWQ8gaisBFux5Fm532UbNrEy8fZIpfh5Bkhua6ww-eirzm5yoRBRm_-XYLXsrWk9sYov7ZrLVFUpzHkdWXg-tbQL6f8MOJ5nev_oB380DaYq4jqNMKZtonpPkqp0OHC5b27s1ErVQ3eKtI6Qk2sqnY7mXVZDk2-srFl6Q38nSrj7x/w500-h640/Creguian-RPG%20Core%20Rules%20Cover%20Art_Hobby%20Data.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"> The Creguian RPG Boxed Set </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Cover and Contents.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytjA-lnCM1-8dnceWGHn5x8RsV0gaIV9C7loGKEJam9648p8S3cOIQyGX8ZoGiEi5WYfYyc8vIBuDylHw8ZKNuaolI5za43MzsDp-2snE2S3sDcL886pHeQa7xAr_Pg-856YWipzlURBe-eUigxte8jqV5gAJ212ZEQVwcO0fm4GDAaYtnCMlfVkcSiNM/s1200/Creguian-RPG%20Core%20Box%20Interior_Hobby%20Data.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytjA-lnCM1-8dnceWGHn5x8RsV0gaIV9C7loGKEJam9648p8S3cOIQyGX8ZoGiEi5WYfYyc8vIBuDylHw8ZKNuaolI5za43MzsDp-2snE2S3sDcL886pHeQa7xAr_Pg-856YWipzlURBe-eUigxte8jqV5gAJ212ZEQVwcO0fm4GDAaYtnCMlfVkcSiNM/w499-h499/Creguian-RPG%20Core%20Box%20Interior_Hobby%20Data.jpg" width="499" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span> </b>Dee Hoshiyoru was a drifter with a past she would rather not talk about, moving aimlessly through the stars of the Frontier Sector trying to survive and forget. Although everyone she ran into out there could tell she was native to this life, that she was destined for or came from higher status, no one could argue she didn't belong. Hoshiyoru could hold her own.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On a routine job guarding Outer World cargo headed for the Inner Sphere, Hoshiyoru saw a ghost, someone she thought was long since dead. The daughter of the altruistic, wealthy, corporate nobles who'd raised her was being forced to board a starship of ill-repute. Dee believed she had failed her family, that everyone had been murdered but no, the youngest daughter had survived! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Banding together with a charming conman Smuggler, a cyborg Mercenary with a Mech, and a dying alien Baptist Psychic, Dee Hoshiyoru - or Lady Star as the Smuggler liked to call her - set out to right what she felt was her greatest wrong so she, the noble's daughter, and all her new friends could be Homeward Bound. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> I can best describe this campaign as 'Star Wars as written and directed by Blade Runner era Ridley Scott'. Each PC had a reason to chase this group of Interstellar Organized Criminals with the separate but unified goal of 'getting to go home'. For the Smuggler, the crooks had cheated him out of a score that would pay off his debts so he could return to his home planet. The Merc swore he wouldn't return home until he got revenge for the death of his brother. The alien was one of the few members of his species left in the galaxy. The entire race was going extinct. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Dee's noble corporates had developed a medicine [of some sort] that might prevent this.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Lastly, Dee is revealed to have been an orphan taken in by the corporate family and raised by their Chief Of Security as his own daughter. She eventually became Security Head herself. One day, a surprise attack on their home ended with the murder of the entire group by a guild of assassins working for a business rival. With her family gone, her reputation in ruin, and even some suggestion by the media that she might have been in on it, Dee ran. She eventually lost herself on the frontier, which is where we see her when the game starts. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Her real name is actually something different but her adopted father always called her 'Hoshiyoru', which in Japanese means Starlight. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFx3VVBC6YPXA2kFEyY47M5JWILbWHCv_kx86nOvJtwG_J8MVF3hguDCkryIMn_l6ha3meJgVsf0FvpfghzbxyknpIA7eAbLCKI2WClLd8x4iF6QlVT7yZeRHtOKttTYafRsiqSvOHOrmkkuNc0EiYc3tXZTGBnWtd1WfxZZlpnpSk2pyvHATfYhft6n-k/s908/Creguian-RPG%20Supplement%20and%20Adventure_Hobby%20Data.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="908" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFx3VVBC6YPXA2kFEyY47M5JWILbWHCv_kx86nOvJtwG_J8MVF3hguDCkryIMn_l6ha3meJgVsf0FvpfghzbxyknpIA7eAbLCKI2WClLd8x4iF6QlVT7yZeRHtOKttTYafRsiqSvOHOrmkkuNc0EiYc3tXZTGBnWtd1WfxZZlpnpSk2pyvHATfYhft6n-k/w640-h422/Creguian-RPG%20Supplement%20and%20Adventure_Hobby%20Data.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">The two major Creguian expansions:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">On the left; a second box set detailing Starship Construction, Space Battles, and other Starship stuff.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">On the right; Crisis Point, a soft cover, saddle stick sourcebook and scenario generator. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Highlights:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dee would have interesting, though brief, philosophical discussions with our alien character. His species is referred to as the Baptists (See Notes below). Often his side of the argument would be about the universe have a plan for all of them and they it was all tied to destiny. Dee was of the opinion that the sentient universe the Baptist believed in was either not real or a terrible planner. "This thing has to be the worst tactician ever."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Smuggler flirted with Dee quite a bit and she back but made it clear at one point that it wasn't serious. He was disappointed but they remained fast friends. In a session towards the end when Dee makes it obvious she's romantically interested in the noble daughter and had been for a while in their adult years, the Smuggler basically sacrificing himself so Dee can rescue the young woman and escape. His last words were, 'After all this, someone deserves a happy ending. Right?"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Game Info:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately I can't find any of my character sheets or rule notes on this game (typical of me, I know. I save write-ups of the stories and characters but rarely prioritize archiving mechanics). I did decide to record this character as if she was a Traveller/MegaTraveller PC though so here you go:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisNshjvxE-9q-SRBaajrqNKOxYEn0Wc0fx9AUZIVediEgevZ8VPICQZbPqr_t1va3ytk_4Jbw7D0W0RyYHcXZUoCXNnmHu7K8sPPXwuPgmJNVyREJS-RTrTAuta1MM3XiyKfeE8nhrLE5F1QvZVTjUbRupQXxdvyu8yXAhyLC3vZ7amqWAZlKJWx3oHJY/s1258/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Traveller%20Character%20Sheet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="940" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisNshjvxE-9q-SRBaajrqNKOxYEn0Wc0fx9AUZIVediEgevZ8VPICQZbPqr_t1va3ytk_4Jbw7D0W0RyYHcXZUoCXNnmHu7K8sPPXwuPgmJNVyREJS-RTrTAuta1MM3XiyKfeE8nhrLE5F1QvZVTjUbRupQXxdvyu8yXAhyLC3vZ7amqWAZlKJWx3oHJY/w478-h640/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Traveller%20Character%20Sheet.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dee's Starlight Armor would basically act as Combat Armor-TL 12, giving her an Armor Value of 10. It adds a +1 to Strength, Dex (but not towards Ranged Weapon Accuracy - only Speed, Agility, and Reaction Time), and End. She can activate a 'Star Field' mode that increases her Str, Dex, and End to +3 and +6 on a Critical Success. Armor Value increases to 30 at this time (a super-charged force field effect). The Critical effect lasts 3 rounds and then the suit gives no bonuses, none at all, for 3 rounds. Following this it returns to normal. It can only be used 3 times in 24 hours. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Trying to fill this out I realize how different the two games and universes really are. Like most Japanese protagonists, the PCs of Creguian skew younger than those of Traveller. For a starting Traveller Player Character to be competent, let alone proficient, they'd have to have at least a few tours of duty and be someone between 34 and 42 at least. At 24 Dee was one of the two oldest members of the team and was probably more skilled than I made her out to be above, even with fudging the numbers. Really, the above sheet was just for fun and isn't a good example of a Creguian character (or a Traveller one for that matter). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Notes:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First, the word '<b>Creguian</b>': It is a word in the alien language of the Baptists, the first extraterrestrial intelligence Humanity encountered. Directly translated it means, 'o</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ne who plots'. It is their word for Humans; we are Creguian. Unlike the calm, organized, and pragmatic Baptists, Humans are full of curiosity, determination, and daring. We are viewed as wonderfully energetic and dangerously unpredictable. We are part of the reason the Baptists are in danger of extinction. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Baptists get their name - given to them by Humans - for their belief in a sentient universe, which they see as a deity. A rite of passage in their culture involves total immersion in sea water until they nearly drown. If they survive it, they are renewed in body, spirit, and purpose. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The game has numerous nods to Judeo-Christian names and mythology, attributing this to what survived after the Great War. There aren't necessarily major religious themes however. It's mostly just window-dressing. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The setting takes place three thousand years in the future and is generally referred to as 'The 3000s'. This is the era after The Great War ended that pitched the galaxy backward technology wise. Although we are in a far future, starfaring, cyberpunk heavy era, a key element of the setting is that Humanity used to be even more advanced. Finding lost technology and abandoned colonies is a common theme (as in the Third Imperium of Traveller). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I had this idea that each player had a secret 'Power Up' (though I don't think I called it that). If and when they were willing to spend X amount of experience points, they would unlock some cool feature of themselves or their gear. The Smuggler's ship had a hidden pre-Great War Tractor Beam. The Cyborg Merc could unlike a Flight Mode on their Mech they let them, well fly obviously, but also had considerable speed and maneuverability. The alien could 'Commune with the Cosmos', allowing him to ask the GM a question that was almost meta. For my part I had to tell the truth, though I could give an incomplete answer. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoDBwll5RhJDzSdkeOdXJduhV6vRDoOP0we0It8aiaCfoirACk0HorlHwadeEy72yRf0vhBTLfMsVpVR9OCOjsI9TmbHCMmrdy7uClDg-5dov49UFfzwWTeJMIysvPKLymE9OMjmCJ2HDAlmIGuKZP_5MCZvMaKnGKNaY_HVZvrfwrJu79wftvGla_hSk/s1396/Creguian%20Mecha%20and%20Pilot-Core%20Rules%20Art_Hobby%20Data.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="971" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoDBwll5RhJDzSdkeOdXJduhV6vRDoOP0we0It8aiaCfoirACk0HorlHwadeEy72yRf0vhBTLfMsVpVR9OCOjsI9TmbHCMmrdy7uClDg-5dov49UFfzwWTeJMIysvPKLymE9OMjmCJ2HDAlmIGuKZP_5MCZvMaKnGKNaY_HVZvrfwrJu79wftvGla_hSk/w446-h640/Creguian%20Mecha%20and%20Pilot-Core%20Rules%20Art_Hobby%20Data.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">A Creguian Mech Pilot and their Mecha Suit</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hoshiyoru's 'hardsuit', a low-level powered armor that boosted her strength, speed, and toughness, could activate a sparkling force field of golden stars that gave her a small bonus on those things and a huge bonus on a Critical Success (as noted in more detail under Game Info above). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've love to run another game of Creguian, as I would an Anime/Manga themed game of almost any kind really. Going through this project I'm realizing how much I miss the days where these games were more common place for my groups and I. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I started searching for information and images on this game I thought, 'I'm not gonna find anything. I'll be lucky if the Japanese websites remember it.' I mean, let's be honest. before this post had you every heard of Creguian? </span><span style="font-family: arial;">This was a Play-by-Mail game, only in Japan, that had only a handful of physical RPG products (not including the tie-in novels), and it ended over 20 years ago. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I found this...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLeVeXZFEdUjjBd1mrQ36dtXcGw9joM57j7Dnns1o4q1fK1yAh1SzL8WvTvP4Z1_Geic5WzRC1IMi73TH7CF_g_ndWdUcvJpqKBR0yhe1SxKgjGtdhf3pa6GGvLqEWuLo5jeyt3BI4HHw_N5fKgYD_jkUCp8GVyoBh4cEt4msuzxvCi-HSwWvCTXPlElR/s1726/Creguian-Play-By-Email%20Website-Frontier%20Works.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1726" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLeVeXZFEdUjjBd1mrQ36dtXcGw9joM57j7Dnns1o4q1fK1yAh1SzL8WvTvP4Z1_Geic5WzRC1IMi73TH7CF_g_ndWdUcvJpqKBR0yhe1SxKgjGtdhf3pa6GGvLqEWuLo5jeyt3BI4HHw_N5fKgYD_jkUCp8GVyoBh4cEt4msuzxvCi-HSwWvCTXPlElR/w640-h310/Creguian-Play-By-Email%20Website-Frontier%20Works.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://c-rpg.jp/creguian/"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">The New Creguian</span></b></a> is a reboot/sequel to the original game by new publisher Frontier Works. It seems to be set up as a <a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%97%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%83%90%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%83%96"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Play-by-Web</span></a> game, though further research seems to indicate a tabletop RPG is something they're considering. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We...the Creguian...live on.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3TctxMqO7o08OT4jfYahCPfuOGbmmDxOeGjrx4dpS0M2mHeD_1PaUkkWZ-BY7J6K2z4GBXrwm_fFlv7sTCUlW8g1P4BaTKmkxvb8XYXRacz4CUP4sk-Z4SJ1mlNaVrzD1eEti6mnxSMtwcXsRwokZ_VtviUp_Yubw9wzlGbhAFJo1bUYxOgLd2btFFLv/s984/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Full%20Sheet_Creguian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="984" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3TctxMqO7o08OT4jfYahCPfuOGbmmDxOeGjrx4dpS0M2mHeD_1PaUkkWZ-BY7J6K2z4GBXrwm_fFlv7sTCUlW8g1P4BaTKmkxvb8XYXRacz4CUP4sk-Z4SJ1mlNaVrzD1eEti6mnxSMtwcXsRwokZ_VtviUp_Yubw9wzlGbhAFJo1bUYxOgLd2btFFLv/w640-h572/Dee%20Hoshiyoru-Full%20Sheet_Creguian.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Look! Up in the sky! It's a heron! No, it's a Mitsubishi F-X! No! It's something very different for this challenge...a brand new character! Introducing <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">FAR FUTURE GIRL</span></b>!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-33254485349174623042024-01-13T17:41:00.002-05:002024-01-13T17:41:58.250-05:00Space is for the CREGUIAN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvC02xjQ6RofM30NGc6Mpmaq3yVh13genXRyz6fuU0PHYY8xKJDaorhqGtHkpxEHFa_grhV5fHHaqkTu4VHYgDleCJuAaihrmSiASid4P-7O0TcG1CspYv9p_6FJhAi-oxIj2zSYK5UAdyGbUgpW5-QsUhIBDbZgfRJGGsGBO1DNnIWWjyuGjXG9X9PQt/s990/Urashima%20Taro-Time%20Travel%20Fairy%20Tale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="990" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvC02xjQ6RofM30NGc6Mpmaq3yVh13genXRyz6fuU0PHYY8xKJDaorhqGtHkpxEHFa_grhV5fHHaqkTu4VHYgDleCJuAaihrmSiASid4P-7O0TcG1CspYv9p_6FJhAi-oxIj2zSYK5UAdyGbUgpW5-QsUhIBDbZgfRJGGsGBO1DNnIWWjyuGjXG9X9PQt/w640-h420/Urashima%20Taro-Time%20Travel%20Fairy%20Tale.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Science Fiction in Japan can be traced all the way back to the year 720 and a time travel fairy tale called <b>Urashima Tarō</b>, a story not unlike the Western world's Rip Van Winkle. In it, a fisherman rescues a turtle who rewards him by taking him to the Dragon Palace, a supernatural place populated by the Dragon God and other such beings. There he is entertained by a princess and after several days of the most wonderful hospitality returns home to find between 100 and 300 years have passed (depending on the telling). His home is a ruin, his family long dead, and he himself forgotten.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another early story tells of a princess from the Moon, taken to Earth for her safety as the heavens erupt in a celestial war. She is cared for on Earth by a humble wood-cutter. When her true family returns to bring her home, they do so on a larger bright disk resembling both the Sun and the typical early depictions of flying saucers.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Modern Japanese Science Fiction finds its roots in </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Restoration" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Meiji Restoration Era</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> of</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Japanese history (agreed by scholars to be from 1868 to 1912). Among the first novels of Western origin translated into Japanese and widely distributed were those of Jules Verne. The term 'K</span><span style="font-family: arial;">agaku Shōsetsu' or Science Novel was put forth in the late 1800s and became a popularized name synonymous with what we know of as early Science Fiction.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1HGyLgKdwIg1CUa0m6SZ8DF7M6syEGezXJpPjtM8T3aMqN8vIUdO5GdzODfv2QipoO7T-y-RRbR4TVwHL9WQjs9oU_yXzqOLfV_HXToKPte1st18Amy6h25fVfYuK-utYzu93toThZ66Xc9KAo8Rfy5KKqr3R7opRrgt8_JecMXRYdc5y0MLSuye9Usj/s1921/Japanese%20SF%20Through%20the%20Years%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1921" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1HGyLgKdwIg1CUa0m6SZ8DF7M6syEGezXJpPjtM8T3aMqN8vIUdO5GdzODfv2QipoO7T-y-RRbR4TVwHL9WQjs9oU_yXzqOLfV_HXToKPte1st18Amy6h25fVfYuK-utYzu93toThZ66Xc9KAo8Rfy5KKqr3R7opRrgt8_JecMXRYdc5y0MLSuye9Usj/w640-h216/Japanese%20SF%20Through%20the%20Years%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fantastic tales of undersea warships and rifts in space carried the literature movement through the early 20th century and all the way to the Second World War. With Japan's defeat and the horrific nature of the weapons used to accomplish this task, Japan's Science Fiction changed and evolved. Among the first to usher in this new age was not a novelist but a manga artist, none other then </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Osamu Tezuka</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">, considered the 'Godfather of Manga' and the creator of </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Tetsuwan Atom</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> (Astro Boy) and </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Black Jack</b><span style="font-family: arial;">, among many other works. Tezuka early successes, such as </span><b style="font-family: arial;">The Lost World</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Metropolis</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> (1948-1949) were a major influence on Japanese Science Fiction authors of the period. </span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The first full-length Japanese SF novel was <b>Inter Ice Age 4</b>, written by Kobo Abe, an accomplished playwright, musician, and inventor. Abe's writings have been compared to that of Frank Kafka. As more and more writers started to embrace the genre and Japan began to climb back from it's wartime conditions, interest in Science Fiction increase considerably. While periodical struggled to capitalize on the phenomena the way American companies did in the 1950s, novels did very well. In addition, American troops stationed in Japan brought their own interest in SF with them and by the 1960s many of the Western Science Fiction authors beloved in the US were also very much appreciated in Japan. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sci-Fi exploded in the late 1960s and 1970s with the expansion of manga, early animation, and the release of the Star Trek TV series, the first Star Wars film, and the first real <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_novel"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Light Novels</span></a>. Magazines made another attempt to impact the market and were more successful this time around. Before long the audio and visual mediums of movies and television surpassed the literature element of SF in Japan, thanks largely to Anime and Manga. Unfortunately, in the view of some Science Fiction literature scholars and enthusiasts alike, the line between novel, light novel, and other forms of SF blurred in the 80s and 90s, which caused the genre to be taken less seriously as an art form. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Soon after the Science Fiction genre gradually dropped in popularity, with Japanese audiences looking for something fresh and the various entertainment industries not knowing how to respond. At least in the publishing business. SF Anime and Manga remained popular if not particularly deep or innovative in the mainstream.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;">The first Japanese Science Fiction Tabletop RPGs appear in the early 80s. Enterprise, a Star Trek RPG made entirely in Japan, is not only the first SF game but possibly the first stand-alone Japanese TRPG ever, coming out in 1983.</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusher_Joe"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Crusher Joe</span></b></a><span style="color: #0db910;">, based on a series of novels first published in 1977, received two RPG boxed sets in 1983 as well to coincide with the release of an animated film. Japanese language editions of Traveller and Star Quest came out the year after, with Traveller being especially popular. Interestingly, the covers and illustrations in the Japanese Traveller books were done by Naoyuki Kato, an artist best known for painting the covers of many Western SF novels when they were translated in Japanese [such as Dune, The Stars My Destination, The Forever War, and more]. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq68ZBJsCN5WTI62FIzw1hPy09xJg6hnX3pEI3iHS8z2A260E02erkRMlaapgff9fo_OLW3CCiuq7X4mZTz9KBhLUZlAuc5tzCKNlBsDV0FdxVwYhWSi_Q18bepRmrXPvgnCY5lVlc5oVG0anRlOBr-jjoQJ1F1CbcOcLlnaIJ9CEwA0IUW1pjA8SIrcb/s1921/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1921" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq68ZBJsCN5WTI62FIzw1hPy09xJg6hnX3pEI3iHS8z2A260E02erkRMlaapgff9fo_OLW3CCiuq7X4mZTz9KBhLUZlAuc5tzCKNlBsDV0FdxVwYhWSi_Q18bepRmrXPvgnCY5lVlc5oVG0anRlOBr-jjoQJ1F1CbcOcLlnaIJ9CEwA0IUW1pjA8SIrcb/w640-h216/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;">In the 1990s, with Cyberpunk and Mecha stories dominating the Science Fiction scene in Manga, Anime, and elsewhere, it isn't surprising that we see the same thing in gaming. The first real Mobile Suit Gundam RPGs appear at this time, with </span></span><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;">Dainihonkaiga publishing the <b>Gundam Sentinel RPG</b> in 1990 and a classic MS Gundam 0079 expansion in '91.Tsukuda Hobby would publish their own Gundam game in mid-to-late 1990 but it was really more of a wargame akin to Battletech. Also in 1990 Hobby Japan puts out one of my all time favorite Japanese TRPGs, <b>Metal Head</b>; Cyberpunk meets Space Adventure. <b>Gear Antique</b>, another game I very much enjoyed debuts in 1991. Finally, the sadly lackluster <b>Multiverse</b> comes out in '91 as well. A rather bland game that doesn't deserve it's cover by the amazing Kenichi Sonoda.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PVXVGLLabU_VST_3Pu3TJHv9P-eJ155VS0fpHndaLEsbE-YvoxapeGOWhwr8DJCFFzbAGAHv9iRrzORoW7SDdIHGXVP65ZBDdZlSoxsOIiJQ1QgroPp0iHqam0J3EHNZ7wpbJqjuSr4t-nAVnj3AMOUgRxM5QHj84LygBRE8gpu2Y19nz74VBND9A0eD/s1921/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1921" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PVXVGLLabU_VST_3Pu3TJHv9P-eJ155VS0fpHndaLEsbE-YvoxapeGOWhwr8DJCFFzbAGAHv9iRrzORoW7SDdIHGXVP65ZBDdZlSoxsOIiJQ1QgroPp0iHqam0J3EHNZ7wpbJqjuSr4t-nAVnj3AMOUgRxM5QHj84LygBRE8gpu2Y19nz74VBND9A0eD/w640-h216/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;">In 1992 we get <b>CREGUIAN</b>, Tabletalk RPG in the Far-Future, a fascinating game best described as an alternative Traveller. I'll be talking a lot more about this one in my next post. A boxed set RPG called <b>Space Opera Heroes</b> and its sequel, creatively titled 'Space Opera Heroes 2', are both published in 1992. Fun if not particularly innovative or interesting tongue-in-cheek SF. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;">American RPGs <b>Mechwarrior</b> and <b>Cyberpunk</b> hit Japan in 1993, though like its wargame predecessor Battletech, Mechwarrior got a huge make over for the Japanese market. A major entry comes in 1993 with Tsukuda Hobby's Tokyo Nova, the Cyberpunk RPG with spiritual/supernatural undertones which would become far more prevalent in future editions of the game. Tokyo Nova uses Playing Cards instead of dice. The second edition came out in 1995 and the quite revamped third edition was put out in 1998 under the title, <b>Tokyo Nova: The Revolution</b>. Lastly, in 1994 Japan's Dragon Magazine publishes</span> <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/search/label/Paradise%20Fleet"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Paradise Fleet</span></b></a><span style="color: #0db910;">, a Space Opera that had originally been published in monthly installments in the periodical. It was, in essence, the first crowdsourced TRPG I'm aware of. Certainly one of the first in Japan.</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68povDoSqf7QfMjzelPulWuMkcwSFD6W99lGxEwZp3vHGDMJYXNbrgxOep6KbEj7WKaFTLJly4FRKGJ6EPQJWHjFNw8aEmLjF0tXlT9d8sa53IKNSP-4qJPGSO_f9MD_zYp_YHpGxZboSexW5V_SqoFrcJlZSq8Zf-x16O32y31HGGbZhuuOyRRGVus-D/s1921/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1921" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68povDoSqf7QfMjzelPulWuMkcwSFD6W99lGxEwZp3vHGDMJYXNbrgxOep6KbEj7WKaFTLJly4FRKGJ6EPQJWHjFNw8aEmLjF0tXlT9d8sa53IKNSP-4qJPGSO_f9MD_zYp_YHpGxZboSexW5V_SqoFrcJlZSq8Zf-x16O32y31HGGbZhuuOyRRGVus-D/w640-h216/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Japanese Science Fiction went through another change in the late 90s and throughout the 2000s. Publishing companies, experiencing a fiscally weak market at the time, were eager to try something different in order to make money. A push was made to get Science Fiction back out there in a big way. Two of the major publishers, Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Haruki, created writing contests for SF literary achievement awards and it worked. Science Fiction short stories and essays by the likes of Satoshi Ito and Toh EnJoe were published, renewing interest in the genre. This eventually lead to a Sci-Fi renaissance and in 2007 the 65th World Science Fiction Convention, more commonly known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldcon"><span style="color: #04ff00;">WorldCon</span></a>, was held in tandem with Nihon SF Taikai<b>*</b> in Yokohama.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The popularity of the genre hasn't ebbed since and in fact, the 80s-90s lament of the blurring lines between Pop Culture Entertainment and High Literature are now embraced. We get to see fun and entertaining books and light novels along with philosophical Anime and Manga. Self-publishing, E-books, and User generated Web Novels allow for more variety, versatility, and exposure than ever before. Animated films previously considered independent arthouse approaches like <b>Your Name</b> and <b>Suzume</b> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makoto_Shinkai"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Makoto Shinkai</span></a> are major motion picture industry hits, grossing many hundreds of thousands of dollars worldwide. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0db910; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;">In addition to more translations of American games, there were quite a number of cool titles appearing between 2004 and just prior to the pandemic. Among the ones that really caught my attention were those from Japan's indie/small press market, including </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doujinshi"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Doujinshi</span></a><span style="color: #0db910;"> games. Fun RPGs like </span><b style="color: #0db910;">The Trouble with Aliens </b><span style="color: #0db910;">(Resident Alien the RPG?), </span><b style="color: #0db910;">Lost Record</b><span style="color: #0db910;"> (Secretly kind of dark), </span><b style="color: #0db910;">Metallic Guardian</b><span style="color: #0db910;"> (Japan's answer to Mekton), and </span><b style="color: #0db910;">Space Ship Story</b><span style="color: #0db910;"> (Rules-lite Sci-Fi in the vein of</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Harlock"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Captain Harlock</span></a> <span style="color: #0db910;">and</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_31"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Ulysses 31</span></a>). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpBrrDX72aFt3mNaDF_M6kVLgvTAypLZxx0McdnumChSwYWpWVNnL2t9iR2vsmOXBhf3aVkIJ6pYwMiyFbyugofLwBpe2opphleTWXP4kNfoJExWGtsPDt0mWNzif75CSKwAEusgN1QEvusSVPpjNx9CXgqaLKD9w-dF8i53xZ4EWnHAs7DlxFHoJXViF/s1877/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1877" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpBrrDX72aFt3mNaDF_M6kVLgvTAypLZxx0McdnumChSwYWpWVNnL2t9iR2vsmOXBhf3aVkIJ6pYwMiyFbyugofLwBpe2opphleTWXP4kNfoJExWGtsPDt0mWNzif75CSKwAEusgN1QEvusSVPpjNx9CXgqaLKD9w-dF8i53xZ4EWnHAs7DlxFHoJXViF/w640-h222/Japanese%20SF%20RPGs%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0db910;">Also, got to give a shout out to <b>Spaceship Star Truck</b>. Love the look and the concept.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qdfjOI8sQzJnb6vSJSpanURp191BXunmnQYl8mhgSirmY8fRltMDTc4vYfLNU0IA-6T85aQrdz0xrF-XvTL7HZtD399CtmXaILm32cnAwsyOOt3IJai72iZ_aIZnTiIEzAhyphenhyphenHjrybgcwBgE1MwTnHMR9GPdKkxdc_14nnzU8E9319tefahssAEVxf2nI/s1024/Spaceship%20Star%20Truck-Header%20Illustration_Title%20Fix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qdfjOI8sQzJnb6vSJSpanURp191BXunmnQYl8mhgSirmY8fRltMDTc4vYfLNU0IA-6T85aQrdz0xrF-XvTL7HZtD399CtmXaILm32cnAwsyOOt3IJai72iZ_aIZnTiIEzAhyphenhyphenHjrybgcwBgE1MwTnHMR9GPdKkxdc_14nnzU8E9319tefahssAEVxf2nI/w640-h360/Spaceship%20Star%20Truck-Header%20Illustration_Title%20Fix.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">Wonderful! Fascinating stuff. Only one question...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes Barkley?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">You put Creguian in the title of the post. I understand that its one of the earliest, biggest Science Fiction RPGs of Japan but why does it deserve to be in the title? Also, what exactly is a Creguian?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ah, excellent question! The answer to which lies in the next 31 Days / 31 Characters post...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-42595398197769627892024-01-11T01:33:00.009-05:002024-01-13T23:25:15.489-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - CRIMSON CYCLONE CYBERO<div><span style="font-family: arial;">Crimson Cyclone Cybero was a character my buddy Aldrin originally created for a game we only ran a single session of and then couldn't seem to get around to scheduling. I think his original name was Crimson Hurricane and he was a homage to DC's Red Tornado. He was randomly rolled up for a Villains and Vigilantes game with the premise that the PCs were a team of international heroes. Crimson Hurricane represented Myanmar (Burma at the time) but it might also have been the Indochina region. Buzz really liked him and wanted to use him for this other game so I said sure, since I liked him too. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLF1lfi8ZoGN8X6eP38bVtlsrc2QH3lgOBPZeJGCWaDwiiyeZNHDD5vmXAbGeMUkT_wdUXVHwnm7tdRxYqJFLoFcww4i02oXYHuicdJWEnzihorTJ4MhYO2un85lrEDLKDO5KF6Ez1PxgbytJUzsX_PerbNZ3jJhpcR1F_ZLpJZnNdjIzO2V4FergtYd7/s640/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="630" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLF1lfi8ZoGN8X6eP38bVtlsrc2QH3lgOBPZeJGCWaDwiiyeZNHDD5vmXAbGeMUkT_wdUXVHwnm7tdRxYqJFLoFcww4i02oXYHuicdJWEnzihorTJ4MhYO2un85lrEDLKDO5KF6Ez1PxgbytJUzsX_PerbNZ3jJhpcR1F_ZLpJZnNdjIzO2V4FergtYd7/w394-h400/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Portrait.jpg" width="394" /></a></div></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Crimson Cyclone Cybero</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cybero is pronounced sigh-BEH-row.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> A Secret Identity (that I don't recall). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Aldrin 'Buzz' Aw</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Mekton RPG, 1st Edition and Villains & Vigilantes, 2nd Edition kitbash.</div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign: </b>Super Savior Cybero</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1985-1986</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> I spent some time over one Summer with my Dad and where he lived he got foreign language TV stations if you messed with the antenna and channels a bit. I discovered and was able to watch Kamen Rider in Spanish and Ultraman in either Chinese or Japanese (depending on the day). I think I was also able to catch one of the Sentai programs as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometime after running my first 'campaign' of Mekton (if you could really call it a campaign), I wondered if there was a way to take parts from R. Talsorian's Mecha game and glue them into the Superhero RPG that was 2nd Edition V&V in order to run a Tokusatsu RPG. It worked! OK, it worked 'cause I made it work and probably fudged some things. Maybe a lot of things. We got a good game out of it didn't we?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4VkAmAlb3sAullEVh3TjvRporyQ2yTS8PnmiMb5bqlMGltcCppUEm46qo_wwpZZGOm7Ox6meO4sJtm_tA0pjaQaOQbw5g8VwTgK2kD_cF6gOkdhofolhONSI3VE-whWeT9DkQhhyoyZ8ttFDAffTg238bxFyjPg6UuycknKpuOeARUthzsYYSvb9Zgr0/s1393/Mekton%20V&V%20Kitbash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1393" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4VkAmAlb3sAullEVh3TjvRporyQ2yTS8PnmiMb5bqlMGltcCppUEm46qo_wwpZZGOm7Ox6meO4sJtm_tA0pjaQaOQbw5g8VwTgK2kD_cF6gOkdhofolhONSI3VE-whWeT9DkQhhyoyZ8ttFDAffTg238bxFyjPg6UuycknKpuOeARUthzsYYSvb9Zgr0/w640-h404/Mekton%20V&V%20Kitbash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> When Doctor Simon Date invented the Cybero Circuit, a revolutionary Organic Computer far ahead of its time, he completely changed the field of cybernetics overnight! Unfortunately, the benefactor funding his research was secretly Catastrophe-X, leader of the would-be world conquering organization '</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Armageddon Genesis'. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With the help of his assistant Sana and his daughter Sadako, Dr. Date had just enough time to complete his three Super Cybero Savior projects and escape with them before X's minions arrived. Now, protected by this trio of cybernetic superheroes, the group tries to take down Armageddon Genesis and defend all mankind!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> The campaign was very episodic, with each session following a basic format; either Armageddon Genesis would send agents to capture or kill Dr. Date or his Daughter and the PC heroes would have to protect them - or - the heroes would hear reports of a peculiar crime or occurrence and go to investigate, uncovering some scheme by AG to take over the planet.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The villains would consist of a half dozen to a dozen faceless goons and 1-3 'lieutenants', more formidable opponents using Super Weapons and Armor or else being Super Cyborgs themselves. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As far as the PC good guys we had:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Protector Cybero Paladin</b> - Blue, White, Gold - A normal but skilled young man wearing an 'Iron Man' type Powered Armor. He had Super Strength, near Invulnerability, a multi-setting Raygun and a Power Sword that delivered stunning blasts. The Cybero Circuit gave him mental control over the suit - he can change the settings on his weapons with a thought for example. He was basically our Captain America/Superman boy scout.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Cybero Midnight Mask</b> - Purple, Black, White, Gold - was a cyborg whose enhancements were undetectable until he donned his special mask. Midnight Mask's cybernetics gave him 3x the strength, speed, and agility of a normal Human. He was equipped with numerous crimefighting gadgets like a tricked out Motorcycle, Throwing Disks, Shock Tonfa, Smoke Bombs, and Power Inhibitor Handcuffs. The Cybero Circuit activated his cybernetics and let him remote control his motorcycle. Midnight Mask was our cynical and grim detective in the vein of Kamen Rider and Batman. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and last but not least...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Crimson Cyclone Cybero</b> - Red, Black, Gold - is a full android and he was built before Dr. Date realized his work was being funded by a Supervillain! The prototype designs were shown to Catastrophe-X in his secret identity and as such were copied by Armageddon Genesis to create some of their powered minions. However, the good Doctor kept tinkering and eventually created a unique sentient machine. His primary power is Super Speed, able to travel so fast he appears to be a blur of red light. He can also <i>move</i> quickly, not just run quickly, giving him the ability to perform multiple attacks and catch or deflect projectiles. Crimson Cyclone can also use his speed to build up wind, creating powerful gusts and striking like a 'living' tornado. His Cybero Circuit allows him to transform into a normal looking person and he does have emotions. His personality is split; in battle he is a cold, calculated, and no non-sense, though still heroic and honorable. Out of combat he is like a child, a Data-like Pinocchio learning to be Human. A little Silver Surfer is in there as well. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Three of the major inspirations for Crimson Cyclone Cybero</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgCVnFfargJYVTEMtd9KMUgpkC4jel4PCXMjAcUVcYKVYZLM1HVBxoqT7XxR9od88SK99M7JoMg0moS17LRWvdesu8W5MAVb5YkI0xSESMHmSppWQBmWw8PgwZb-9o4VbnztwQbMzrci-CtujcD0DzVVZYWGd1r007lye2UiNoLHdZsXKR8Hiig4uitsH/s1311/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Inspirations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1311" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgCVnFfargJYVTEMtd9KMUgpkC4jel4PCXMjAcUVcYKVYZLM1HVBxoqT7XxR9od88SK99M7JoMg0moS17LRWvdesu8W5MAVb5YkI0xSESMHmSppWQBmWw8PgwZb-9o4VbnztwQbMzrci-CtujcD0DzVVZYWGd1r007lye2UiNoLHdZsXKR8Hiig4uitsH/w640-h290/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Inspirations.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(Left to Right) Android Kikaider, Joe from Cyborg 009, and The Red Tornado</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>The Highlights: </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is difficult to recall many of the game's specific moments. It was so long ago, a campaign of no more than a dozen sessions, probably less, and there were so many other games going on at the time. Even so...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I recall one really good session where Sadako, Dr. Date's daughter, had been kidnapped by the bad guys and ransomed. Armageddon Genesis would return her if Date handed over the blueprints for the Cybero Circuit, otherwise she would be killed at dawn! The heroes discovered the location where Sadako was being held and went to rescue her but it turned out to be a trap! The real Sadako was hidden somewhere else and the one at the place the PCs went to was an android duplicate. Worse yet, one with Magnetic Powers! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The battle was extremely difficult, as Crimson Cyclone and Protector Paladin fought the Iron Maiden (her code name) while Midnight Mask sneak into the place where the true Sadako was held. MM had to fight through a bunch of goons and traps all on his own before being confronted by a major lieutenant. Meanwhile, the other two PCs had a tough time being Metal Heroes against the Mistress of Magnetism. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What turned the tide was when Crimson Cyclone started to ask her why she was doing this, fighting against another android such as himself. She replied that it was her programming and what she was designed and built to do. CC got all existential on us, discussing what it meant to be an Artificial Intelligence and whether the fight was logical if you were going to think like a robot or decent and compassionate if you were going to think like a true living being. As she starts to get second thoughts about her role in all this, the villains signal that they're going to blow up the base with Cyclone, Paladin, and Maiden inside it. Cyclone appeals to her better judgement once more and convinces her to work with them to get free.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Just as Midnight Mask and his opponent duel to a standstill, Crimson Cyclone, Protector Paladin, and Iron Maiden blast through the ceiling to come to MM's aid. The heroes, including Sadako, depart after defeating their enemy and Cyclone asks Maiden to come with them. She declines as she must discover who she is now and what her purpose is but she assures them they'll all meet again. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Game Info:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After running a lot of Villains and Vigilantes and then a lot of Mekton, it just struck me that if you mixed these together you could cover those Metal Hero series style characters. Now, how did I do it? What did it look like? Beats me...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was a long time ago and I don't think I ran any other games with this particular kitbash. If I remember correctly, it was mainly Mekton with the powers from V&V stapled on and adapted to work with the former. Somehow.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Notes:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This was one of many games I ran between the mid-80s to the mid-90s that were initiated because I just really wanted to run a game about whatever the heck I thought was cool that month. Most of the time this worked because I was playing with people who also thought those things were really cool. I also had a number of people who didn't care to know anything before being introduced to it during play. I miss those days. Everyone now needs a 10 page write on the world background and mechanics in order to even consider playing a suggested game. Seems our sense of adventure only extends to our characters in their settings and not to the players in the real world. Sigh.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thinking back, I wonder if the rules I stitched together actually worked or whether we all just agreed to pretend they did. It was an unholy mish-mash to be sure but it made sense to us at the time and I guess that's all that matters. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Doctor Date's name is pronounced Dah-TEH. It is a Japanese family name that means Intelligent</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I forgot to mention, one ability all three PCs got from their Cybero Circuits was to instantly change into their 'costumes'. Midnight Mask's Cybero Circuit was on his belt and activating it summoned his mask/helmet to him. One putting it on he fully transformed. Protector Paladin's was on his wrist I think. Crimson Cyclone's was in the center of his chest a la Tony Stark's Arc Reactor. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As mentioned under 'Origins', Crimson Cyclone was first created for a V&V campaign featuring international superheroes. He has since appeared or been mentioned in that capacity in various Supers games I've run over the years. More often than not its a name drop when discussing what Superheroes are around or available in the area of Southeast Asia. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've always liked this character and still due, though I haven't thought about him in a while. I am sure some version of him is out there in the Multiverse somewhere, defending Humanity while still trying desperately to fully understand it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not unlike myself I suppose.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSMIl9LaEvaRkcaA_vczRD_hatSpV9ilXdIeRxEx-ALN2yG3TtC22TQ46SUYyuqr9tsmLiLhGJtx23R5ffvMm4I9O8UI3_Mruu_Mwxf9pf34psSRcpdinOizGdHNUrvTACzEvNsUz5af7OyGl2nDRumS57UIaSeTSatCAueT-P4mmOdQe0_TSHknhdkuo/s985/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Full%20Body.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="945" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSMIl9LaEvaRkcaA_vczRD_hatSpV9ilXdIeRxEx-ALN2yG3TtC22TQ46SUYyuqr9tsmLiLhGJtx23R5ffvMm4I9O8UI3_Mruu_Mwxf9pf34psSRcpdinOizGdHNUrvTACzEvNsUz5af7OyGl2nDRumS57UIaSeTSatCAueT-P4mmOdQe0_TSHknhdkuo/w614-h640/Crimson%20Cyclone%20Cybero-Full%20Body.jpg" width="614" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From live action Superheroes to Space Opera Anime - tag along with dangerous <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">DEE HOSHIYORU</span></b> and face the Cregurian!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-13378990857968100602024-01-08T23:13:00.014-05:002024-03-12T21:20:06.733-04:00Now, Shall We Begin the Experiment?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been thinking about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokusatsu"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Tokusatsu</span></a> lately and would really like to do another game in that genre and style. The last one I did was a few years ago and it was specifically a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Sentai"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Super Sentai</span></a> campaign. This time I was thinking more of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Hero_Series"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Metal Hero</span></a> Series approach, perhaps a team of Kamen Rider type Superheroes. I haven't done that in decades.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What's that? What the #@%$ am I talking about? Hmm. Maybe I should lay some ground work...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GD97w3WtOJg7_d0qCpfBg5YwXbblANZm6Hb0rpRHMyI7q3L3l_bG87c_G3IFwg_yfiE9ZNq5PLClp3GqsYPYyYpTht4xG1arV4TBy44qHViIzT3twVvqsoIc_DljTnBljkHnQDlGaMK-MWAqAKPQSRGAXY_DMEeOnF1pSdDqNMBFOYiToVutnU2KKFWI/s763/Metal%20Hero%20Series-Portraits%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="763" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GD97w3WtOJg7_d0qCpfBg5YwXbblANZm6Hb0rpRHMyI7q3L3l_bG87c_G3IFwg_yfiE9ZNq5PLClp3GqsYPYyYpTht4xG1arV4TBy44qHViIzT3twVvqsoIc_DljTnBljkHnQDlGaMK-MWAqAKPQSRGAXY_DMEeOnF1pSdDqNMBFOYiToVutnU2KKFWI/w640-h400/Metal%20Hero%20Series-Portraits%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tokusatsu is a catch-all phrase for Japanese live-action TV shows and films in which a good deal of special effects are used, from fireworks to miniature cities, rubber monster costumes to light-up props and so forth. <b>Kaiju</b> films, <b>Super Sentai</b>, and <b>Metal Hero</b> show are all subtypes of Tokusatsu. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We all know what Kaiju films and shows are about, giant monsters attacking cities and battling other giant monsters! The word Kaiju translates to Strange Beast. Godzilla, Gamera, and even King Kong are well known Kaiju. I'll address this genre in detail later this month. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Super Sentai is the genre most familiar to Americans and others in the Western World thanks to Power Rangers. Sentai is a military term that roughly translates to group or task force, be it a small team, squadron of figters, or fleet of ships. As such, Super Sentai shows feature a team of Superheroes usually identified by their color [and maybe a code name or motif]. I've talked about Super Sentai a few times in the <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2017/04/thorough-thursdays-sentai.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">past</span></a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Metal Hero is a lesser known thing outside of Asia; specifically Japan, China, and Korea. Metal Hero maybe teams or solo heroes and are often connected to the military, police, rescue services, or some scientific organization (particularly space agencies). They are identified less by the color of their costumes and more by what they do. Some are Space Cops or Sheriffs hunting down aliens that have come to Earth to cause havoc. Others are normal if very high-tech crimefighters battling evil organizations bent on world domination! Some focus on emergency services and rescuing people from disasters. It is common for there to be three members of the team, with other characters in support roles. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kamen Rider or 'Mask Rider' and Ultraman are examples of Tokusatsu but don't really fall into the Super Sentai or Metal Hero categories (though Kamen Rider shares many tropes with Metal Heroes). These two are sometimes referred to a Kaijin or Strange People. I'm a huge fan of Kamen Rider and to a lesser extent Ultraman. I used to watch some of the early Kamen Rider episodes on Spanish language television is the 80s. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As noted above, I've run Super Sentai games and even one Metal Hero/Kamen Rider campaign (see the next 31 Days / 31 Characters entry) but it has definitely been a while. Since it was on my mind I thought I'd look into what's available in terms of published games for these genres.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBtV0CDsXDzl1IfDHxqds0TUfINqg4tB-um4GRgsxknXszkNJmGYK5ck3ZCoBt60F-kcGMpnklFdjSGG8wbcgG_-BxQ2MSgUytMyH-84Wk5HE9Cj2F3-sM4p5NURTCriU5FJa3_TGWA2imAgKN3cqb7dhN44RfQx6Bzwo4_ZoyUBOvGXsQKUsfji8hfh4/s1515/Convictor%20Drive-Cover%20Art-Large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBtV0CDsXDzl1IfDHxqds0TUfINqg4tB-um4GRgsxknXszkNJmGYK5ck3ZCoBt60F-kcGMpnklFdjSGG8wbcgG_-BxQ2MSgUytMyH-84Wk5HE9Cj2F3-sM4p5NURTCriU5FJa3_TGWA2imAgKN3cqb7dhN44RfQx6Bzwo4_ZoyUBOvGXsQKUsfji8hfh4/w450-h640/Convictor%20Drive-Cover%20Art-Large.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Convictor Drive is inspired by Japanese live-action films and television shows such as Kamen Rider, Megabeast Investigator Juspion, and Android Kikaider. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was super excited for this game and contributed to the Kickstarter as I am definitely a fan of the genres of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Sentai"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Super Sentai</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Hero_Series"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Metal Hero</span></a> . I've run Japanese Superhero campaigns and one-shots and was excited to see how the Japanese themselves handled the subject in game form. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've barely looked at it since I've received it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why? Not an easy question to answer...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">I did give the book a cursory read through when I first got it and the thing that stood out to me most is that the game has quite a developed setting with a lot of backstory. A lot. Maybe no more or less than any other modern RPG but much more than I expected. I'll be the first to admit that's on me for making assumptions. Being disappointed that the product wasn't exactly what I thought it would be isn't the game's problem, it's mine. It still turned me off. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">LionWing sells the game with the tagline '<span style="color: #ade597;">A Kamen Rider-inspired TTRPG that features action-packed combat and roleplaying, an original d10 system, and gorgeous anime art!</span>' It is indeed an action-focused Tabletop RPG with a sizable portion of its D10 based rules dedicated to mechanics that support role-playing. It also has nice art. Gorgeous is a bit much. It definitely looks good but I've seen more impressive work, especially in Japanese TRPGs. Also, while the art is nice the layout, graphics, and writing are actually rather dry and a tad bland.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRGZ55DYAXdebfp0d625ghEuoAFlGmyIpwVM-6ahiiA0E7KQLOg-cgsy13XEJyFOc4SKN7BySddFSjBToqhuwySSofWhipwCflzcvW3RocxSDar6d6uys0CtoCpMbj_Y_R3_8X_rnL0iaquf92oMFFk-vTvcxMy41nWv_v_7fynHusvDa8Gc58903lutz/s879/Convictor%20Drive-Cover%20and%20Interior%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRGZ55DYAXdebfp0d625ghEuoAFlGmyIpwVM-6ahiiA0E7KQLOg-cgsy13XEJyFOc4SKN7BySddFSjBToqhuwySSofWhipwCflzcvW3RocxSDar6d6uys0CtoCpMbj_Y_R3_8X_rnL0iaquf92oMFFk-vTvcxMy41nWv_v_7fynHusvDa8Gc58903lutz/w502-h640/Convictor%20Drive-Cover%20and%20Interior%20Art.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What is doesn't have is the feeling of being Kamen Rider-inspired. I mean...kind of...but I feel like less setting would have made it feel more inspired by the genre that informed it instead of it feeling very specific to itself. Convictor Drive doesn't feel like a Tokusatsu-flavored game the way Starships & Spaceman is a Star Trek-flavored game. Instead, Convictor Drive feels like its very much Convictor Drive flavored. It's atmosphere is too Cyberpunk and not 'Superhero' enough to be Tokusatsu. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">In fact, I'd say it's closer to late 80s-early 90s Science Fiction Anime like Armored Police Metal Jack and Sonic Soldier Borgman. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUiTZQU2HqNo0VO9P2z6c6YOzsY-wCdyB7t-YjxX6dCd-li26hAV0OMuNexfU3eq2WmnNd11XU1Nh06wE2feSssPaPvZ2ksyuj8RKAdi4XElC_1CBazSc6jkZ7lNoEByILARTIJqbokawvZrCUX0XQPXFYUUtItyiSigXVEiuze1HG8v9eUct8bMYugzW/s1564/Kamen%20Rider%20Through%20the%20Ages%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1564" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUiTZQU2HqNo0VO9P2z6c6YOzsY-wCdyB7t-YjxX6dCd-li26hAV0OMuNexfU3eq2WmnNd11XU1Nh06wE2feSssPaPvZ2ksyuj8RKAdi4XElC_1CBazSc6jkZ7lNoEByILARTIJqbokawvZrCUX0XQPXFYUUtItyiSigXVEiuze1HG8v9eUct8bMYugzW/w640-h360/Kamen%20Rider%20Through%20the%20Ages%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">The many faces of Kamen (Mask) Rider</span></div></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By comparison, take a look at a game like </span><a href="https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/225035/Super-Happy-Sentai-Hour-Gestalt-Edition" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Super Happy Sentai Hour</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">. This is a game that explains the Super Sentai genre in considerable detail and then gives you all the tools, options, and idea suggestions you need to create your <b>own</b> setting.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazBF_nZytCiziOusjgBvgwV2aO7Y3wM7SQec54KBC0lLqQ5k4nFe1Vpefk9vsvz04_wRcnwMIkmgS130x4OiQYk9r0_EFGU9sjCzvJTrnjJ80fBc6Md9UkHuW7laqTDYwWicWP2cx1_YSqqaxGJFDvZvJEIsy23vSU70KFDsZTtDyx98ivA7JM69mrMQ8/s900/Super%20Happy%20Sentai%20Hour-Gestalt%20Edition_Cover%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="709" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazBF_nZytCiziOusjgBvgwV2aO7Y3wM7SQec54KBC0lLqQ5k4nFe1Vpefk9vsvz04_wRcnwMIkmgS130x4OiQYk9r0_EFGU9sjCzvJTrnjJ80fBc6Md9UkHuW7laqTDYwWicWP2cx1_YSqqaxGJFDvZvJEIsy23vSU70KFDsZTtDyx98ivA7JM69mrMQ8/w504-h640/Super%20Happy%20Sentai%20Hour-Gestalt%20Edition_Cover%20Art.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It isn't as pretty as Convictor Drive, nor as polished, but its raw exuberance and extensive knowledge of the subject matter make it my go-to game for running a Super Sentai game. Seriously, if you are interested in knowing more about Super Sentai and/or running and playing a Sentai game, this book is definitely worth a read. It explains the various elements that make up a Sentai show in a clear and easy to understand way that is also very entertaining. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wzQp495z42lfPzJgOqk8X0g0BkTav0dhZcllapbILUSxffFlBXGIuLH9PTklWM3BqD_VhJByeehDrD7jwO23X2bq_A08otXtfN5-ZCzlnAWEp61HZKM4jeqEp0jrnk_wlEqbsgV8Iys01qDiB-Z9gYQb-FM3T9VmFPEPPIs6PVuOOQ1H4jVp15zLfTjJ/s1920/Summon%20All%20Rangers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wzQp495z42lfPzJgOqk8X0g0BkTav0dhZcllapbILUSxffFlBXGIuLH9PTklWM3BqD_VhJByeehDrD7jwO23X2bq_A08otXtfN5-ZCzlnAWEp61HZKM4jeqEp0jrnk_wlEqbsgV8Iys01qDiB-Z9gYQb-FM3T9VmFPEPPIs6PVuOOQ1H4jVp15zLfTjJ/w640-h360/Summon%20All%20Rangers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is also a game called Henshin, A Sentai RPG that I haven't gotten the chance to check out at all. Much of the advertising for it seemed oddly pretentious for a game in this genre. Since I'm such a Super Sentai fan I suppose I'll have to read it eventually.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are likely other games in this sphere and I'll need to do some more research on what they are. I haven't even started on Japan's forays into this mix. I know of a few, including Marginal Heroes (covering general transforming 'Henshin' heroes) and Masquerade Style (a semi-official Kamen Rider RPG).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48V72Uyeahz5N5rUpVExFt5YuNhSoZOFTrLjP5Zwm4Wg7n5-dKWd4qbYkCe7rLjthBNuyo61KAEp8qssi_6n1CchJIGWjzM_QfNj9m75KEG1aaVD2Xh-Em8tuXzN6pTMcGuzY0c0oQ0BdPrW8axfZ176eRzzWsUmZFaGK3-1YQZnK6Wp_A_vi1JcVX0mB/s1236/Marginal%20Heroes-Masquerade%20Style%20RPG_Cover%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1236" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48V72Uyeahz5N5rUpVExFt5YuNhSoZOFTrLjP5Zwm4Wg7n5-dKWd4qbYkCe7rLjthBNuyo61KAEp8qssi_6n1CchJIGWjzM_QfNj9m75KEG1aaVD2Xh-Em8tuXzN6pTMcGuzY0c0oQ0BdPrW8axfZ176eRzzWsUmZFaGK3-1YQZnK6Wp_A_vi1JcVX0mB/w640-h456/Marginal%20Heroes-Masquerade%20Style%20RPG_Cover%20Art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I tend to prefer games that give me what I need to create my own world as opposed to giving me a ton of info about theirs. If I were buying a licensed IP game like an official </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Rescue_Solbrain" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Super Rescue Solbrain</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> RPG, then yes please give me everything you can about the world of Solbrain. What I'd rather have though is a Metal Hero RPG so I can make my own Metal Hero milieu.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3wuhTBJFx0u0m_kcgrU7kWk007wfrmOwmJC7H7TOg0cTPG9E3tWUMGDBhfLBV4oj4kSa3WW8PhSXJLpmPFNRqpWvFj2E6GFciB5nwbgmOxAZsJPZeWK-8Hhmod5LfzIEd8vHvMH7c77j66B5Y8S0H4w2EojflKFd-f3yN1Jccfftent7AruZRuKnFvna/s738/Solbrain%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="738" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3wuhTBJFx0u0m_kcgrU7kWk007wfrmOwmJC7H7TOg0cTPG9E3tWUMGDBhfLBV4oj4kSa3WW8PhSXJLpmPFNRqpWvFj2E6GFciB5nwbgmOxAZsJPZeWK-8Hhmod5LfzIEd8vHvMH7c77j66B5Y8S0H4w2EojflKFd-f3yN1Jccfftent7AruZRuKnFvna/w639-h470/Solbrain%201.jpg" width="639" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>I'm not writing off Convictor Drive completely but I'm not looking forward to trying to detach the setting from the rules in order to create a more general Tokusatsu vibe. I feel like it would be easier to customize and/or add to Super Happy Sentai Hour than to subtract from Convictor Drive but who knows, I could be wrong. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Just some thoughts going into the next 31 Days / 31 Characters post...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">The post title is a reference to the catchphrase of Kamen Rider Build. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">I updated this entry the day after posting it as I felt it gave the reader neither enough context nor my complete thoughts on the subject. Let me know if it all makes sense to you. Thanks.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-47079645001353819632024-01-06T12:28:00.414-05:002024-01-09T23:27:11.143-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - BOON BRUSHBORN<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sword World is indeed a fantastical beast. It is surrounded by myths and stories. It is a game both beautiful and terrible. It is legend.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The story goes that a group of Sci-Fi/Fantasy writers, artists, gamers, and game designers had a Dungeons & Dragons campaign going that they were able to serialize in a magazine called Comptiq thanks to their collective talents. In September of 1986 the periodical began publishing monthly installments of 'Record of the Lodoss War' with a combination of short stories and comics.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These 'Replays' of the campaign's events gave birth to the massively popular 'Replay Manga' phenomenon, which serves as most Japanese gamers introduction to Tabletop RPGs. It is currently estimated that the widespread and lucrative Replays are more popular than Tabletop RPGs themselves. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A rumor persisted for years that this campaign wasn't actually D&D but Runequest. It has also been said that while the game started out in D&D, the group switched to Runequest before eventually creating their own game. There is likely some truth to this as the influence of Runequest on the system and setting can be seen quite clearly.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The game they created themselves became Sword World and the creators became Group SNE. Initially, Sword World was published in order for Japanese TRPG fans to run adventures in the setting of the increasingly popular Record of the Lodoss War Replays but the game itself soon took off and for many years Sword World was considered Japan's top selling dice and paper game. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I watched the first episodes of the Record of the Lodoss War Original Video Animation soon after they came out in Japan in 1990. Not long after that, a customer at my job whom I considered a friend was discussing the Anime with me when he mentioned having a copy of the game. I'm sure my eyes bugged out and my jaw dropped. He mentioned picking it up the last time he visited relatives in Japan. I'm sure I replied with something akin to, "So when are we giving it go?". The answer was a week or two later...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBklWo001EsUJMbWPeT6kurR1nDe7U5W2n3lylqhReba_IFG7Yn68BIgmPRiPF3OPYzgWW-SB8v0yw5En0FJkmnuyP7x0Lpk9tRE_QbgRgClXUSeOTFk90fkIxIa9kI5h3xu0D4fqRe-rdaSarCqXWYDcT-tHd-bl7A0iS9nSV5vfoTtYhgPf8PfpGrPDz/s640/Boon%20Brushborn-Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBklWo001EsUJMbWPeT6kurR1nDe7U5W2n3lylqhReba_IFG7Yn68BIgmPRiPF3OPYzgWW-SB8v0yw5En0FJkmnuyP7x0Lpk9tRE_QbgRgClXUSeOTFk90fkIxIa9kI5h3xu0D4fqRe-rdaSarCqXWYDcT-tHd-bl7A0iS9nSV5vfoTtYhgPf8PfpGrPDz/w353-h400/Boon%20Brushborn-Portrait.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Boon Brushborn</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div>If I recall correctly, the character was simply named Boon during the game. I didn't give him a last name. That's rare for me but I just couldn't think of one.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a one-shot I ran a couple years later Boon (as an NPC) introduces himself to the PCs of that game as 'Boon of Brushborn'.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> Green Top, Little Man.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Sword World, 1st Edition by Group SNE, Published by Fujimi Shobo. </div><div> </div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign/Adventure Arc: </b>Ruins of The Fool Lord's Folly</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Ben K.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 1990-1991</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> As noted in the introductory section above, a fellow I knew told me he had picked up the Sword World RPG during his last trip to Japan to visit family there. He not only had the main rulebook but a couple other supplements and gaming magazines with additional material. Excited to try a Japanese made TRPG for the very first time, the two of us each asked some friends to join in and we assembled a party of 5 or 6 players pretty quickly. </div><div><br /></div><div>Curiously, this was during the period of my 'gaming career' where I had pretty much sworn off D&D and games like it (both mechanically and in terms of genre). I also rarely played around this time. This was a special occasion in my mind. An exception to my self imposed rules. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldJqSehITpko_wkASk2iuq3fZUOClZ88eX68N41l6MZfrZJ3Cc_gNjnlPOoZaqp34jM0Ag80QC5-t_8NDEtNbRAriwlI2pNEZAR663OXnG2CLHdIZMI2y453kIJvA3FnEeTIWIyBX-xvzq_jABpDzTUkOGeeYtXGsOozZZO4RjUym3BcrP3fpdN8S6tGC/s879/Sword%20World-1st%20Edition%20Rulebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="663" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldJqSehITpko_wkASk2iuq3fZUOClZ88eX68N41l6MZfrZJ3Cc_gNjnlPOoZaqp34jM0Ag80QC5-t_8NDEtNbRAriwlI2pNEZAR663OXnG2CLHdIZMI2y453kIJvA3FnEeTIWIyBX-xvzq_jABpDzTUkOGeeYtXGsOozZZO4RjUym3BcrP3fpdN8S6tGC/w482-h640/Sword%20World-1st%20Edition%20Rulebook.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-small;">Sword World, 1st Edition</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Full Disclosure: </b>What follows is my best recollection of this character and the game but generously embelished to cover the gaps in my notes and memory. The map, place names, and other specifics about the setting come from the sourcebook 'Ten Children: World Guide to the Western Countries'.</span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDITVswun99cCwrqeDc1viZgeJ4VbU9u2m1Q-u4djlgGRMolJL8US74u9zHSqplc3u8QLvjSV6CsfRUa-AauNTO2HcV8YjTrXhpZU8ohjvnB48pvQ8dmja9teVXIMwxrSnLpW5BhJqWhOzbpJ_5_RA0rkhsBwi0JwBafRzvi_DNbkdaOMsQgMcuSjqJnNl/s879/Ten%20Children%20World%20Guide_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="621" height="669" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDITVswun99cCwrqeDc1viZgeJ4VbU9u2m1Q-u4djlgGRMolJL8US74u9zHSqplc3u8QLvjSV6CsfRUa-AauNTO2HcV8YjTrXhpZU8ohjvnB48pvQ8dmja9teVXIMwxrSnLpW5BhJqWhOzbpJ_5_RA0rkhsBwi0JwBafRzvi_DNbkdaOMsQgMcuSjqJnNl/w472-h669/Ten%20Children%20World%20Guide_Cover.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-weight: bold;">Backstory: </span><span>Like most Grassrunners, Boon was a wanderer who called no set location 'home', though he was birthed in Brushborn, a trading outpost not far from Lake Nomad (referred to as Lake Nomiol by t</span>he Human Kingdoms). Boon is a Ranger by skill and trade and was hired by the rest of the party to guide them through the region between the Kingdom of Remrier and the Cross No Mountains (also known as 'The Ladder to the Sky') in hopes of finding the cursed Ruins of The Fool Lord's Folly...</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> A party of adventurers consisting of a Half-Elven Fighter, a Female Elven Sorcerer, a Human Bard, and a Human Priest set off from the Kingdom of Remrier to locate the ruins of an old Fortress said to have been build on the Eastern edge of the Cross No Mountains long, long ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to legend the Lord of this Keep, otherwise a man of wisdom and cunning, had a weakness; he loved to laugh. He would often invite Jesters to perform and entertain himself and his troops. One day he let in a man who claimed to be so humorous that indeed one might die laughing. True to his word all who listened that night perished, unable to breathe through their guffaws.</div><div><br /></div><div>Recently, hideous laughter had been heard on the street of Remrier in the evenings as the sun was setting. Several people reported nightmares, all featuring a man in garb of a Jester. The Sages advised the Lord of Remrier to hire adventurers to investigate the old Fortress and discover why the ghost of the Fool Lord's Folly was haunting the people of this fine City-State. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enter Boon of Brushborn, Grassrunner Ranger, hired by the group to lead them through the areas between along the quickest and safest path. Not an easy task as Youma, a darkness that causes strange creatures to appear and act wickedly, had been particularly strong lately the nearly one was to the Cross No Mountains. Luckily, Boon knew a short cut (no pun intended - not on THIS quest for sure!). He got the party there with little difficulty...alright so they did have a run in with some Goblins but they made swift work of that lot.</div><div><br /></div><div>As he was getting paid and preparing to part ways with the others, Boon saw a shadow in the dying light and shouted for the Priest to move. With the through of a long dagger he pierced a horrible flying creature, giving the rest of the party time to ready themselves. Once the beast was vanquished, the Half-Elf invited Boon to join the group for a cut of the findings and reward. The Grassrunner agreed. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Highlights:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Boon was fun to play largely because of his attitude. He had a bit of a chip on his shoulder, with most of the party thinking he was younger than he was and treating him a bit like a kid (which funny enough happens to Chilchuck in Delicious in Dungeon, who is also of a Halfling/Hobbit like species). He proved himself a few times and they had a talk about. Boon said, "If I'm going to be a fellow member of the party in this quest, you have to treat me like one. Not like a sidekick." The others agreed. It was a nice role-play sequence. </div><div><br /></div><div>Where was a battle against some bizarre monster I think the GM made up, a kind of 'Joker Manticore' (though come to think of it, a creature that could be described that way exists in the Five Star Stories Manga series. Hmmm). My character had light weapons and armor and I recall using a short sword or dagger in each hand. I jumped around a lot in that fight, reminiscent of the fighting style you often see short characters use in Anime. I didn't do a lot of damage but hit with almost every attack. One of the other players dubbed it 'death by a thousand paper cuts'. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Sword World is a game that spawned out of one groups' interest in the RPGs of the hobby's Golden Age - specifically Dungeons & Dragons, Runequest, and very likely Rolemaster. It shows. It's a little more complicated than it needs to be and consists of way too many charts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back then I was already losing patience for such things but as a fan of RPGs and Anime/Manga, how could I say no to playing one of Japan's earliest and most popular stabs at tabletop gaming? I remember having a great time but certainly wasn't about to drop my favorite games of the era (FASA Star Trek, Star Wars D6, Mekton, and Teenagers from Outer Space) for this cumbersome Fantasy game. </div><div><br /></div><div>Still and all, there are definitely things I think Sword World does better than D&D and its ilk. I like the way you can mix and match Classes to create interesting combinations resulting in characters feeling more distinct and different from each other mechanically. I like the different types and styles of magic, another feature that makes character stand out from one another. It also adds flavor and texture to the Classes so that a Priest doesn't just feel like a Mage who can heal and wear armor. There are just a large number of little ideas and systems that make for a cool game even if it isn't my style of game. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Notes:</b></span> </div><div><br /></div><div>I wish I could recall more details. I remember playing this character in the game clearly but as I get down to finer and finer details my memory gets fuzzier and fuzzier. I don't seem to have many notes written down about either and my gaming buddies from that period [who I am still in touch with] only vaguely recall it as well. Frustrating.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Legacy:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Boon appeared as an NPC in a Sword World one-shot I ran two years or so after Ben's game ended. It basically used the previous adventure as canon history but I added elements based on additional information I had since learned about the Alecrast setting. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, one of my groups tried to create characters and run a game of Sword World 2.5, the latest version of the game and damn if it wasn't the complicated thing I've read in a while. It's not unplayable by any means, quite the opposite. It seems very well thought out mechanically. It's just very crunchy and rule heavy and that isn't my jam. Furthermore, while that is a factor of many Japanese Tabletop RPGs (system complexity is often high), it's not something favorable to me personally. It's also why many of my favorite Japanese games are that ones that aren't so mechanically dense.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAMZ2-N8KtunglvexhqarxYhQdaZh_Af5G68Tl7UHn-5ohs0rbWeAyq70FgygC1SQ0KyprF9DRYsq3nwrW9hHkiE_aBF55Mm6w3dvszA7XqG5bYvb35nQZSmnPgZPudQ0mHCaT08psiEitOLidc5nA4tuAr33dlJK1pdxqr2GziBubfmr0WnBX5-pFiLJ/s879/Sword%20World-Party%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAMZ2-N8KtunglvexhqarxYhQdaZh_Af5G68Tl7UHn-5ohs0rbWeAyq70FgygC1SQ0KyprF9DRYsq3nwrW9hHkiE_aBF55Mm6w3dvszA7XqG5bYvb35nQZSmnPgZPudQ0mHCaT08psiEitOLidc5nA4tuAr33dlJK1pdxqr2GziBubfmr0WnBX5-pFiLJ/w478-h640/Sword%20World-Party%201.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The winds of justice are blowing and when they strike, it's like a tornado has landed! Villains beware! <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>CRIMSON</b></span> <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>CYCLONE CYBERO</b></span> is up next!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-28310588847627372222024-01-04T23:45:00.003-05:002024-01-05T09:44:44.409-05:00To Eat or Be Eaten<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm so excited I dressed for the occasion...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqNHFu_-SzNgIMO7qZqCG02E5OPYghOgAeRbw-sSVUu-MYd913gZ64luSr9b5dvEAJIrpZwfPsJKcMHwBzcee8D_y7gjy62IqP58b323qn4BfL-QO7yP2jy6VRFku__tgwpkYd9Okk7-Yyo-OJZrZctuRDNaBIELtsY3a1IUePVQEX25LJDJflrBknXaV/s640/Delicious%20in%20Dungeon%20Shield%20Emblem%20T-Shirt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="565" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqNHFu_-SzNgIMO7qZqCG02E5OPYghOgAeRbw-sSVUu-MYd913gZ64luSr9b5dvEAJIrpZwfPsJKcMHwBzcee8D_y7gjy62IqP58b323qn4BfL-QO7yP2jy6VRFku__tgwpkYd9Okk7-Yyo-OJZrZctuRDNaBIELtsY3a1IUePVQEX25LJDJflrBknXaV/w566-h640/Delicious%20in%20Dungeon%20Shield%20Emblem%20T-Shirt.jpg" width="566" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, January 4th, 2024, is and shall forever be the release date of the Anime series <b>Delicious in Dungeon</b> on both Japanese TV and Netflix in the USA. (Did it air today in your country? If so, where? If not, when? Let us know!).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am a big fan and want to spread the word of this awesome story so we can get the entire Manga - 14 volumes as of this post - adapted to animation. If you watch it and like it, spread the word! Humorous, heart felt, action and adventure in a Dungeons and Dragons type setting with awesome world-building. Just thinking about what's in store for newcomers to the series is making me hungry. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cf9mnd8FpDhhKQ4cMVsTDBYGad3HdLTdsKH7TTJrI_exzbQs8n7ypehHWy2BSf5CcQUG9GYkqy2lhAyNR-1LhpD8yl3Mj__NDgp0upu6qyKEEmx5IyuCEpG9nFGGQsgtwprmmf3j_mTfuh0Bg6KHO42akUScx6Lrz7vOrkVFHrZSFdgIZWiZyif4WUhH/s2048/Delicious%20in%20Dungeon_Animated%20Series%20Theatrical%20Poster%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1455" height="814" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cf9mnd8FpDhhKQ4cMVsTDBYGad3HdLTdsKH7TTJrI_exzbQs8n7ypehHWy2BSf5CcQUG9GYkqy2lhAyNR-1LhpD8yl3Mj__NDgp0upu6qyKEEmx5IyuCEpG9nFGGQsgtwprmmf3j_mTfuh0Bg6KHO42akUScx6Lrz7vOrkVFHrZSFdgIZWiZyif4WUhH/w578-h814/Delicious%20in%20Dungeon_Animated%20Series%20Theatrical%20Poster%202.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Delicious in Dungeon (or Dungeon Meshi/Dungeon Meal in Japan) is my favorite Manga of the last...I don't know...maybe decade or more. I first learned about it when they were on Volume 3 or 4 I think but I started back with one and now own all the English translates editions from Yen Press. In addition to the regular Manga I own the Adventurer's Bible, a guide to the characters and world.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've already addressed the title on the blog several times before though I'm not sure if I've ever talked about at length about the series itself. I know I've mentioned how much I like it, how it keeps inspiring me to run an Anime/Manga influenced Medieval Fantasy, yet I don't think I've gone into great detail about the world, monsters, characters, and so forth. Honestly, I think I'll hold off a little while longer as I want everyone to watch the Anime and get to know the series a little better before I discuss it and potentially ruin anything.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I will say that watching the first episode has reminded me how much I adore the setting here and how it's once again made me interested in a Dungeon Meshi-esque TPG campaign. Gah! This series is frustratingly loveable. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Expect more discussion about </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Anime/Manga style Western Fantasy very soon.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please give the show a watch and let me know what you think.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Meshiagare!*</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">*<span style="color: #93c47d;">Enjoy! The Japanese equivalent of Bon Appétit</span>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-69142086768621637532024-01-04T22:43:00.005-05:002024-01-07T12:30:38.345-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - AKI RUSH<div><span style="font-family: arial;">Some Japanese Tabletop RPGs are intrinsically 'Japanese'; understanding and appreciating the premise of these games requires knowledge of and an affinity for Japan's culture and storytelling devices.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Others are just universally freaking AWESOME! </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Imagine a setting that combines Cyberpunk, Giant Robots, NASCAR Racing, and Space Travel. Sounds like a fun premise for a game, right? </span><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvI4mAeN9J0xsZP3K3GaliAEWXAvOHvkGK9q1zaJ7F6YnT97dQPb-8vxZJV6q9gVtzRv-CldlVBdFH-ty1Lduq5AhPHrzH16VUgQ5POiYc-tgS6tHSKatLsvZb9e4UiCwfotcUo_vhUHB8bCnlsVu9Y56v-BnkeSS6-xwkQ8SDd3atpjoRvWsHXgT9mOB-/s640/Mobile%20Racer%20Championship%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvI4mAeN9J0xsZP3K3GaliAEWXAvOHvkGK9q1zaJ7F6YnT97dQPb-8vxZJV6q9gVtzRv-CldlVBdFH-ty1Lduq5AhPHrzH16VUgQ5POiYc-tgS6tHSKatLsvZb9e4UiCwfotcUo_vhUHB8bCnlsVu9Y56v-BnkeSS6-xwkQ8SDd3atpjoRvWsHXgT9mOB-/w400-h400/Mobile%20Racer%20Championship%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Character:</span></b> Aki Rush</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKA:</span></b> 'Go Psycho' (a pun on the Japanese word 'Saiko' meaning Maximum or Ultimate)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> I forgot his name. A friend I'd made through work I believe. So sorry I can't recall. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">System:</span></b> Mobile Racer Championship</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Additional rules from Metal Head, Mekton, and Cyberpunk. See Origins for details. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Nature:</span></b> <b>Short Campaign:</b> The Off-world Colonies 5000.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Gamemaster:</span></b> Adam Dickstein</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 2010-2011. I think. Pretty sure.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span> </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Mobile Racer Championships</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">is an RPG that came out in monthly installments published in Hobby Japan Co. LTD's </span><a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2018/03/thorough-thursdays-hobby-japans-rpg.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">RPG Magazine</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">from sometime in 1997 to sometime in 1998. Unfortunately I don't have exact dates in this respect. I have several issues featuring the game but sadly no where near all of them (More on that in a moment). Each installment added to and expanded both the rules and the setting.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQpt9TkccpFLxVaaVT7L1K4Rd6Kt-S6gN0rJLZKh6iYsNX7PB3yjMpkcqTL2RmX0mGBGM3EARPfiBEjSvkAEmOWw4ZcIfVKTg-SYnkXN0ve51l-iDs4Ch5pnDpcOGc5D_ktxRAX8DCO9EgfTEqdYXrAAm_B6FEkiGHny89NFEUDJ_kAubSS4TP-D7TwkF/s2217/20240101_162137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="2217" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQpt9TkccpFLxVaaVT7L1K4Rd6Kt-S6gN0rJLZKh6iYsNX7PB3yjMpkcqTL2RmX0mGBGM3EARPfiBEjSvkAEmOWw4ZcIfVKTg-SYnkXN0ve51l-iDs4Ch5pnDpcOGc5D_ktxRAX8DCO9EgfTEqdYXrAAm_B6FEkiGHny89NFEUDJ_kAubSS4TP-D7TwkF/w640-h248/20240101_162137.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mobile Racer Championships logo scanned from the April 1998 issue of RPG Magazine, No. 96</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Recolored by me.</span></div><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I loved everything about the concept and the artwork inspired me even further. I really wanted to run the game but I was unable to find all the issues I needed to create a complete game. Luckily, I noticed many similarities between the system and setting and that of the Japanese TRPG <a href="https://japanesetrpg.com/2021/09/18/metalhead/"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Metal Head</span></a>, also from Hobby Japan. Hmm. On further examination, MRC seems like it might be a spin-off of Metal Head's post-corporate war milieu. With the help of some friends I was able to splice Metal Head into Mobile Racer Championships, filling any gaps with the first editions of R. Talsorian's Mekton and Cyberpunk. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span> </b>Following the death of his father in a racetrack accident, a very young Aki wanted nothing to do with mecha, racing, or his father's legacy as an Off-World Colonies Champion. That's until he was 18 and received a message from his dad's old partner and mechanic Tetsuo Smithson which said that the senior Rush's death was no accident! Instead, he was murdered in connection to the father's service during The Corporate Frame War. Aki didn't even know his dad had served in the war!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Aki took a year off from school, traveled to the Colony World where Tetsuo was located and spent the next year learning everything he could about Mobile Racing. Meeting two other Frame Drivers with connections to the situation, the four men and a female manager formed a racing team to solve the mystery and win The Off-World Colonies 5000!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE2LA3k_PRO5LIVUHdpOqs9vi7tml36KeyZN81IJYAIiQK8IBYH9p4y3gp0FUL5QEJLRLjqQubSODBsiOeNBgxUUY1aQboDHeSKDoaADaG-eIvnD4rMuVtZbhj6dlsT6AlYBEYdFAnlZ7k09Inj1O1cyeexI8v-bgkYZY1pGzxq552JuOhh-fMIms8hTz/s2706/20240101_161710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2060" data-original-width="2706" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE2LA3k_PRO5LIVUHdpOqs9vi7tml36KeyZN81IJYAIiQK8IBYH9p4y3gp0FUL5QEJLRLjqQubSODBsiOeNBgxUUY1aQboDHeSKDoaADaG-eIvnD4rMuVtZbhj6dlsT6AlYBEYdFAnlZ7k09Inj1O1cyeexI8v-bgkYZY1pGzxq552JuOhh-fMIms8hTz/w640-h488/20240101_161710.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> Following the Corporate Frame War that divided the Earth, Solar System, and the various Off-World Colonies up among the major Megacorporations, Humanity found itself in a situation not unlike that of trained pilots and their planes after World War I. Far too many qualified Frame Pilots and Mobile Frames (Mecha) were still around with nothing for them to do. This lead to many people trying to find work and doing so as Deep Sea Miners, Construction Workers, Firefighters, Mercenaries, and Colonial Militia. Even so, unemployment and Mobile Frame crimes became rampant.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To remedy this situation, a group of Sports Entertainment Megacorporate concerns created the sport of Mobile Racing; high speed contests were former 'Heavy Soldier' Battle Frames are converted into fast moving, agile Racer Frames to outrun and outgun each other to the delight of fans across Human Space. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">25 years later...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The campaign started en media res, with the three PC Drivers and their Mobile Racers blazing down a racetrack on a desolate moon (desolate except for the hundreds of fans cheering from the seats above the track). Rolling randomly for their positions, Aki 'Go Psycho' Rush was the furthest ahead of his team but third place out of a dozen on the course. Through some seriously tricky and 'visually' exciting maneuvers, two of the PCs moved into position to block attackers from targeting Aki. Aki went full throttle and straight up tackled the second place Racer INTO the first place Racer, badly damaging both. Unfortunately, his Mech was also damaged, allowing the fourth place Racer to get really close. The two then competed to finish the final lap first, with Rush just barely crossing the line ahead of his opponent. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The win results in a massive payout to a local bookie who then gives the team some key information that leads them to the next clue or revelation. This became the basic pattern; win a race or do a favor for a contact, get a clue, and learn the next piece of puzzle. Sometimes they'd have to sneak in to a place to help someone, that would give them a clue, then they'd have to hurry back to the track in time for the next race. Mixing it up were little character development moments between the various Player Characters and NPCs. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, the campaign ended on a cliffhanger, with the PC team finding Aki's father alive but in Suspended Animation for some nefarious purpose. So bummed we never got to the end of the story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUiWWlVYF5sCD-YRiefypgsZmxgodAINXPKpywzJ2GoKGpGGuYrH_waoBGNGaPa7i7FaxVnJWbfL109FapLrPOfQjBOjF81jJJPQtKdt_1ndeSeZLxrs51Xx8Cdxz7q0UeXu37hdesEjAe9HczJTZv5NGihgLtSazlB40EweZWheGUyck1JpklYKTatOV/s1187/Mobile%20Racer%20Championship%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="649" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUiWWlVYF5sCD-YRiefypgsZmxgodAINXPKpywzJ2GoKGpGGuYrH_waoBGNGaPa7i7FaxVnJWbfL109FapLrPOfQjBOjF81jJJPQtKdt_1ndeSeZLxrs51Xx8Cdxz7q0UeXu37hdesEjAe9HczJTZv5NGihgLtSazlB40EweZWheGUyck1JpklYKTatOV/w350-h640/Mobile%20Racer%20Championship%203.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;">The Highlights:</b></div><div><b style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Aki and the gang didn't win every race and when they lost they had to get creative in order to accomplish their goals. After losing on race to an attractive female competitor, the team's bad boy/smooth talker tried distracting her so Aki could sneak into her Mobile Racer and download a map from it. He stops just before doing it, walks back to where the race winner and his pal are talking, and he confesses their scheme to her. He also apologizes profusely, leaving his buddy dumbfounded and her amused. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She asks why they need the map, Aki tells her honestly, and she decides to just give it to him. She then kisses his cheek before sashaying away. Aki turns red while the 'ladies man' dies of embarrassment. Sooo Anime. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In another session Aki is sure to lose, lagging behind the lead Racer with his speed dropping due to a busted leg. Using another member of his squad as a jumping off point, Aki hops up and then leaps his Mech through the air to land on top of the Racer ahead of him. Aki's Mech basically rides the other one piggyback, then tumbles off to cross the finish line first. Hilarious and nail biting at the same time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Game Info:</span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><br /></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ugh. I can't find any of my notes for this. Haven't been able to for years and trust me, I've looked. I'd love to run another Mobile Racer Championships campaign. I could probably convert it over to my homebrew </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Mecha System Variant </b><span style="font-family: arial;">game<b> </b>but I'd be missing one key component. THE key component to be honest. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The game had a mechanic for figuring out who was in what place in the race at the end of the first lap. Then, you would take action to speed up, overtake another racer, attack another racer, and other moves. There was a also a neat 'speed resource management' system to figure out who would win purely by speed and driving. Of course, every action taken by PCs and major NPCs would throw this calculation off, which was the point. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Notes:</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The players loved the setting so much they participated in its world-building. One guy kept designing racetracks. A couple of them kept coming up with Megacorporation logos to sponsor decals on the mecha like tthose all over modern race cars. The lot of them kept suggesting other civilian/commercial uses for the Mobile Frames. Everywhere we went the player would say the farms must have Farming Frames, the news channels should use News Satellite Frames, the Cyberpunk city had to have Sanitation Frames, etc.Very fun. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Legacy:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I haven't tried to run MRC game in 12 years or so. Not being able to recall the racing mechanics is a big part of why. If I could figure out or find a system that gives the same feel of speed, tension, and excitement as the original game I would definitely give it another go. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyadunsDHxi7neKQ2Ai_997uEj88sjGO-flZ082xboP5TKIzBGDyYEype51SnUzeBnncXGmB2-nXD2J29iXeTJzODVkarUgzLxCflXpgzlqY0OHDMtu3UARMWhU-zaEzlErtP0D65PE7ePYyiC4lhBCk-Sx2lmjpMPMV-1Qw_yusVPgY_2Ut3_t7_a9f6L/s1658/20240101_161920-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="1276" height="693" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyadunsDHxi7neKQ2Ai_997uEj88sjGO-flZ082xboP5TKIzBGDyYEype51SnUzeBnncXGmB2-nXD2J29iXeTJzODVkarUgzLxCflXpgzlqY0OHDMtu3UARMWhU-zaEzlErtP0D65PE7ePYyiC4lhBCk-Sx2lmjpMPMV-1Qw_yusVPgY_2Ut3_t7_a9f6L/w533-h693/20240101_161920-2.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Ho there fellow adventurer! Journey with me to the world of Forcelia and traverse the continent of Alecrast as to reach the Western City-States known as The Ten Children. Our guide throughout these perilous lands will be none other than <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>BOON BRUSHBORN</b></span>! Verily! </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-30021931862357550512024-01-03T10:27:00.002-05:002024-01-03T10:27:21.211-05:00An Impurity In The Right Place Is A Quality <p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you watched Blue Eye Samurai? Yeah, I'm talking to you. You HAVEN'T? What are you even doing here?!? Go! Go watch it right now! Once you're finished you can join the rest of us at the Cool Kids table. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf3YXblBcGccdGrS-7dsGYk4ewsr3R32Re24AZKnyVCLYun2dqm7I9YRQIh931SBGNedM6xrdaGPqHIKnNEswkAH9ATyuf8ZMlly1Vv3PDMxNNNh0BG0cZ3JrzN42yu6RmhGWiwdLB9tWwX3805oTKZJZNosHvBI6wTZruYtrpsi1BeLwXYGZ83jCoOuC/s1500/Blue%20Eye%20Samurai_Poster%20Art%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1500" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf3YXblBcGccdGrS-7dsGYk4ewsr3R32Re24AZKnyVCLYun2dqm7I9YRQIh931SBGNedM6xrdaGPqHIKnNEswkAH9ATyuf8ZMlly1Vv3PDMxNNNh0BG0cZ3JrzN42yu6RmhGWiwdLB9tWwX3805oTKZJZNosHvBI6wTZruYtrpsi1BeLwXYGZ83jCoOuC/w640-h404/Blue%20Eye%20Samurai_Poster%20Art%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Great, now everybody here has seen this series, we can discuss my favorite thing to come out in Pop Culture Media for all of 2023. That is not hyperbole. I'm 100% serious. Marvel, Star Wars, even Season 3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks and some great Anime I saw didn't come close to Blue Eye Samurai in my opinion. We're talking 11 out of 10, 6 Stars out of 5, 3 thumbs up, absolutely S Tier entertainment.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The art, animation, characters, plot, and direction were all top notch. Was it an absolutely perfect work? Perhaps not, it had minor imperfections here and there but overall I haven't seen any other series this past year that gets as close to ideal as this one. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Enough praise, let's dig in...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHDnP_Xw4aSvyKA6GlAMXFqs4HPF1kdCvx0QStxHiyup77XuOZ13cVshA4RVufPjEaqw2ZwT3ohcYLPpOY-6Oa3Sqmsxy3h4oCIrKq4-ev_CiT3i4QLw0K8lvPwqf_nf26i94qrTwtrw-GpFfvkJJNvc5IggpyGl0UvzlO7Mt5LGJ7SaWVh1Ho69o0TRx/s1200/Possible%20Spoilers-Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1200" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHDnP_Xw4aSvyKA6GlAMXFqs4HPF1kdCvx0QStxHiyup77XuOZ13cVshA4RVufPjEaqw2ZwT3ohcYLPpOY-6Oa3Sqmsxy3h4oCIrKq4-ev_CiT3i4QLw0K8lvPwqf_nf26i94qrTwtrw-GpFfvkJJNvc5IggpyGl0UvzlO7Mt5LGJ7SaWVh1Ho69o0TRx/w640-h338/Possible%20Spoilers-Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yeah, I know I insisted you see the show before proceeding but I'm feeling merciful.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As you know, I am not just an Otaku, I'm also a Nipponophile; I am interested in Japan's history, culture, food, and folklore. I've run Japanese 'Fantasy' RPG campaigns in the past but they are always set in the 'real' world of Shogunate* Japan with the addition of magic, spirits, and other elements of the mythology believed by the people of that period of history. I have no interest in Legend of the Five Rings' 'Rokugan' or D&D's 'Kara-Tur'. Much as I prefer Ars Magica's Mythic Europe to D&D's made-up places, I likewise prefer the Nippon of Bushido and Blue Eye Samurai to a fictitious world inspired by the real place and its people. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9W0vzgid5Y48maEdWW8OxJbPj26IKMIKn6qvld4I-ZDJif80fhdxv088yjWyyCX10SpJgh9SMRNuW52YtCC9krMIwF6nS9h1p06WYG8mQKwZaH4V0D_Ln_SaoR9qERwR7Asiy-mplPfNr4tJyPx-fQgHHISERCircjysoo7D0_bH-jkqTchwCZh6z9cT7/s1920/Blood%20Soaked_Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9W0vzgid5Y48maEdWW8OxJbPj26IKMIKn6qvld4I-ZDJif80fhdxv088yjWyyCX10SpJgh9SMRNuW52YtCC9krMIwF6nS9h1p06WYG8mQKwZaH4V0D_Ln_SaoR9qERwR7Asiy-mplPfNr4tJyPx-fQgHHISERCircjysoo7D0_bH-jkqTchwCZh6z9cT7/w640-h360/Blood%20Soaked_Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With that as our starting point, let's take a look at the setting and themes of BES. They weren't all bright and shiny, sunshine and cherry blossoms. It was a look at a real place during a real time even if it followed a fictional story. Japan's Edo Period was a bloody, racist, sexist, and often terrible age for people who weren't the Shogun. Blue Eye Samurai doesn't shy away from any of this this. It instead embraces it as a key part of the composition of Edo Period Japan as the 'world' wherein this story occurs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So the question is...is this the same world a Feudal Japan campaign takes place in? I would say a very definitive yes. For other players and GMs the answer might not be so clear or easy. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I had some wonderful conversations a few weeks back with friends of mine who I game with regularly about whether they would include some or all of the negative elements mentioned above in their campaigns if they were setting a game in a historical setting.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My buddy Keith noted that one of his favorite periods in world history is The Age of Sail and a favorite game of his to run is Beat to Quarters, an RPG focused on playing members of the British Royal Navy in conflict with the French, Spanish, Pirates, and the intrigue of the court. One thing that was prevalent during this time that does not and will not appear is slavery. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharTpQivdbJ75nN4SpRc0gNpJ34QE8TpoJvKOQlD6EtKuQKn-Nm48NXUQvAUqX8BnUvQ5IYVY-cihM0ZMyir2JqIE4LqNgwUueGgsJ4G97nca91qPKA5mW7-7eVZqZmHotPcrNAdWrdUidOLwKbAQzujnK0fhi2Wbaw64XGFxIxORRLkBCRy9XsCoKmpHf/s1563/Princess%20and%20Courtesans_Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1563" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharTpQivdbJ75nN4SpRc0gNpJ34QE8TpoJvKOQlD6EtKuQKn-Nm48NXUQvAUqX8BnUvQ5IYVY-cihM0ZMyir2JqIE4LqNgwUueGgsJ4G97nca91qPKA5mW7-7eVZqZmHotPcrNAdWrdUidOLwKbAQzujnK0fhi2Wbaw64XGFxIxORRLkBCRy9XsCoKmpHf/w640-h360/Princess%20and%20Courtesans_Blue%20Eye%20Samurai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Keith has decided, based on how terrible and disdainful the American and European slave trade was, that it isn't something he wants in his Age of Sail games. No adventure scenario with feature it, it isn't something the PCs will be involved with, and it doesn't even get a mention. Why would it? That isn't what his games are about.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In my view, repulsive as it was and it was repulsive, it did happen. It is part of that time in history. I wouldn't dwell on it but I can't ignore it. Additionally, an RPG with the right GM, players, and tone might be the perfect place to discuss and explore these deeply regrettable and tragic aspects of the ongoing story of Humanity.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My love of Japan doesn't embrace its blemishes as positive things but neither does it pretend they don't exist. I accept the bad with the good and as a storyteller try to shed light on the darkness. This is what Blue Eye Samurai does as well and I would very much like to take cues from how well it handle these elements. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Just some musings as I revisit the idea of running a Feudal Era Japan RPG campaign. Inspirations from BES definitely have me thinking about a rework of my Yokai Hunter Society concept.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More to come...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-15061649972784234292024-01-01T22:31:00.006-05:002024-01-05T23:49:33.301-05:0031 Days / 31 Characters - AI WASHINDA<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here we are! The first entry for 2024's Otaku-inspired <a href="https://tardiscaptain.com/2023/11/16/2024-character-creation-challenge/"><span style="color: #04ff00;">31 Day Character Challenge</span></a> and what game is more quintessentially Japanese Pop Culture themed than MAID? Well...hmmm. This might require some explaining. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When MAID hit the American TRPG market in 2008 it became the first such game of Japanese origin to be translated into English. More of a curiosity that a smash hit, the game focused on a premise we don't see in mainstream Western fiction all that often but one which is prevalent in Japanese Manga, Anime, Light Novels, Computer/Video Games, and even live action Soap Operas (to a lesser extent). This is the <b>Harem</b> genre.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First coming into its own in the 1970s, a Harem story is one in which a number of female characters are all romantically interested in the same male character. Traditionally, the male character is one of the series' protagonists which one or two of the female characters share the spotlight. That is to say, while the premise sets up the possibility that the main guy and any one of his female admirers might get together, the story points heavily towards it being one girl in particular. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Over the decades we've seen some very interesting and exciting takes on this genre. We have the Reverse Harem with a group of men all interested in the same woman, the Yaoi or 'Boy Love' Harem and other LGBTQ+ variations, and stories that change some of the key tropes and focuses. MAID itself could be considered a twist on the classic Harem stories as we see it from the girls point of view, with the male center of amorous attention really a background character. The games are about the Maids not the 'Master' of the house, as he is usually merely a plot device or catalyst for their adventures. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is also fairly common to see the genre crossed with other genres such as Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Regardless, the predominant approach for Harem stories is Romantic Comedy. Some of the most popular Harem Anime to have come out include classics like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_My_Goddess!"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Ah! My Goddess</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranma_%C2%BD"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Ranma 1/2</span></a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Tenchi Muyo</span></a> to more modern titles like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_A_Live"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Date A Live</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highschool_of_the_Dead"><span style="color: #04ff00;">High School of the Dead</span></a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_It_Wrong_to_Try_to_Pick_Up_Girls_in_a_Dungeon%3F"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?</span></a>,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As with many aspects of Japanese culture, or any culture foreign to yours for that matter, if you get it you get it and if you don't that's not that surprising. It's a genre that has been around and extremely popular in Japan for roughly 50 years but it could be completely unfamiliar to you if you aren't a native of Japan or a fan of their entertainment.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you haven't been exposed to it I could definitely see it being 'cringe' or just too weird as the subject of a Role Playing Game for most Westerners. I'm not certain I could or would want to run it as a campaign but as a fan of some of Harem Anime and Manga of the 1980s, I can tell you it was a blast to run as one-shots for those who likewise enjoyed such shows. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On to our character...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IzyosNqptr-3d0CVWi8PgB1IpJj2yYWki2fSWXILLrKoYg02sQ4e0M60l5q4xOq0dABLmIB-L9YPMjOiQ75GUeLBXjdm_N3_sjlwWJK1FamRt4i3PR1DPFRMnPP4VjXo_OL99x19JxjjJML-SBDixyFELaG9Xm86x9ElkHzx3fUM7N9nyTRfd9jhiCAZ/s684/Ai%20Shinda-Zombie%20Maid_MAID%20RPG_Avatar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="684" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IzyosNqptr-3d0CVWi8PgB1IpJj2yYWki2fSWXILLrKoYg02sQ4e0M60l5q4xOq0dABLmIB-L9YPMjOiQ75GUeLBXjdm_N3_sjlwWJK1FamRt4i3PR1DPFRMnPP4VjXo_OL99x19JxjjJML-SBDixyFELaG9Xm86x9ElkHzx3fUM7N9nyTRfd9jhiCAZ/w400-h374/Ai%20Shinda-Zombie%20Maid_MAID%20RPG_Avatar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b style="color: black;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #93c47d; font-weight: bold;">Character:</span><span><b> </b>Ai Washinda (Ai is pronounced like 'Eye' or 'I')</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>AKA:</b></span> NA</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Player:</span></b> Melissa (I believe. We're talking a Convention One-Shot fifteen years ago.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>System:</b></span> MAID, The Roleplaying Game</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Nature: </b><b>Convention One-Shot:</b> The Master of Halloween</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Gamemaster:</b></span> Adam Dickstein</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Circa:</span></b> 2009. I think. Pretty sure.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Origins:</span></b> I forget where this took place but I believe it was a medium sized Anime Convention in New England. A fellow I knew on the convention staff had asked if I would be interested in running two sessions of MAID at the event. I said sure and created two different scenarios, one Sci-Fi and one Horror (both Humorous of course). I couldn't decide which I liked better so I brought both.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The first session went over quite well so I was pretty jazzed to run it again. My first group was all guys and I used the Sci-Fi scenario. My second group was all gals. Huh. Turned out a few of them were the girlfriends of the fellas in my first group and their boyfriends had told them all about the game and how fun it was. They convinced some of their friends to join in and signed up for session two. I felt I had to give them their own story, their own unique experience, so I went with the Horror scenario and it went better than the first and much better than I could have hoped for. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Characters were pre-generated without names or much backstory. The players were encouraged to make all that up themselves (something I do often in these kinds of situations). This cool young lady with a 'goth' look about her chose this character and named her Ai Washinda (see Notes below). I only got part of the pun at the time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwoJ7Kez9sYDyREm5l0vX1bNH9h5QxcvNW0gUA8-XRx2PLG08lesAebSkE3xDD6CysZR6dpmRkRyTLzheDXaVymRJHz1hMKPflhNG53prPfFW13G9lL55OB2fRFbhtYdN7GlmJ4VjgTCHIvfj44oPxqXlYWd3Wb02OnPrmw3yS7WLTuX9P0HvwvQtMV9P/s1000/71X4wuvm+vL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="773" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwoJ7Kez9sYDyREm5l0vX1bNH9h5QxcvNW0gUA8-XRx2PLG08lesAebSkE3xDD6CysZR6dpmRkRyTLzheDXaVymRJHz1hMKPflhNG53prPfFW13G9lL55OB2fRFbhtYdN7GlmJ4VjgTCHIvfj44oPxqXlYWd3Wb02OnPrmw3yS7WLTuX9P0HvwvQtMV9P/w309-h400/71X4wuvm+vL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Backstory:</span></b> The player had Ai recall bits of her backstory as the game progressed. Sometimes things got a bit dark but Melissa never made it excessive or explicit. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ai is a Zombie would has been...um...living challenged for about 16 years. She only has vague memories of her life before waking up in a ditch in the woods. Her main concern upon doing so was to not be late for her first day at a new job she really needed. She thought she'd applied for a janitor position but it was actually for a maid at the home of this really old, really rich, really eccentric fella who turned out to be surprisingly cool.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She wondered if he liked Roller Derby? Wait...did she like Roller Derby? She did. A lot. Did she used to play? Whoah. Hard to remember clearly when you're dead. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sadly, the old man passed recently - and permanently it seems unlike herself - and now there's going to be a new boss. Huh? It's his nephew? Wow is that him? Not that I think he's cute or anything. Hmm. Maybe he likes Roller Derby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Overview:</span></b> Gerhard Graves, the eccentric and rich Master of Graves Manor passed away at spry old age of 100 and in his will left everything to his great-grand nephew Garrett. There were some stipulations of course.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Garrett had to live in the house and keep on the butler, chef, and most especially the maid staff. Gerhard promised them they'd always have a home at Graves Manor. It was also noted that they would take care of whoever was the Master of Graves Manor but in turn the Master had to take care of them. Hmmm. Oh yes, one more thing - each year on October 31st Master and staff must participate in a local tradition to become 'The Master of Halloween'! Wait...he's arrived on the 30th! They only had a day to prepare!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As Garrett entered the estate he met the staff and wasn't at all ready for the peculiar situation he'd inherited. The Butler was bandaged head-to-toe as he was otherwise invisible! The chef was a hunchbacked fellow with wild eyes. The maids...the head maid was a Vampire, the groundskeeper a Merfolk, the maintenance and repair woman a six foot plus Werewolf, the housekeeping maid a Ghost, and then there was Ai. Her job seemed to be assisting any of the others but the Butler implied she was also security. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After some getting-to-know-each-other antics, with tones of romance and slapstick, the PCs got ready for The Master of Halloween annual event in which local rich folk compete to create the spookiest haunted house experiences for children in the area. The winner, voted by the kids as most frightfully fun, wins the coveted title of 'Master of Halloween' as gets visited by a Demon/Succubus* who will grant the Master of the House one wish.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This particular year one of the neighbors, Crowley Crookwell, when a little overboard and summoned some demons of his own with Black Magic and Occult Relics. The demons got out of control and the Graves Manor Maids had to send them back where they came. It was a tough one, especially since they kept trying to serve the kids and their parents snacks and drinks and remain well mannered at the same time. Well, except Ai, who preferred action over etiquette.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The children all thought the Monsters vs. Demons battle was part of the show and loved it, unanimously voting for Graves Manor! When the very attractive devil woman showed up and offered Garrett his wish, he turned to his staff and asked if anyone wanted to be Human again. Ai (Melissa) almost started to cry but punched Garrett in the should instead with a rousing, "Not on your life!" Everyone starred at her and burst out laughing. Instead, he asked if the succubus wanted to be free from this annual and eternal obligation (she'd been doing in for hundreds of years already). Completely taken aback she said yes and Garrett wished for her freedom. Everyone cheered!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cut to Christmas time and the front door bell ringing. Ai, the Ghost, and the Werewolf race to answer the door only to find the Butler already there. He opens it to reveal the Succubus in a posh and sexy outfit with bags of wrapped gifts. Garrett shows up with the Vampire, both holding trays of hot cocoa for everyone (except the Werewolf - she's allergic and gets cider). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">-Fin-</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Highlights:</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ai's dialogue was one part tough-talking delinquent and one part flustered school girl and it was hilarious. She was a real ball-busting brawler but when any other character should her any kindness she went pale(r) and said something like, "What? Cute? M-Me? Shut up! Get out of my face with that...that crap. Geez!" The player perfectly emulated a very particular Anime girl character type and made it sound so normal and nature. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ai and the Vampire established that they were frenemies, really rubbing each other the wrong way. Polar opposites. An odd couple. This made for an amazing scene wherein the two of them teamed up to battle one of Crookwell's Demon Maids who was patterned on the sin of Wrath. The cold, calculated, unflappable Vampire wouldn't get angry while the always angry Ai was having so much fun it just frustrated the hell (heheh) of the Wrath girl. She and Ai also had this awesome Martial Arts Anime fight with Ai using her Broom and the Demon Maid using a Fireplace Poker. Over the top, kinetic, crazy cool.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On a serious note, Gerhard gives Ai a lily to put in her hair when one of the ones she wears is destroyed. The player saw an opportunity to role-play here and took it. Ai says she only wears the lilies to hide the smell of her being dead. She tears up but tries to hide it. Gerhard says all he noticed was that they look nice on her and he leaves the flower in her hands. As Gerhard steps away, Ai looks at it for a moment and then ties it in place with a look of grim determination. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Game Info:</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEXfiCTF1zmkYW9y0Rk4PyNnl6IQLmProBn1vvOsFbLX4xmiSPcsMYJhsLO4OVIBqdU8vmY2OdtgQf3DHGno8MV9qfwjZl2-GtY_3YwCI7oIlS0IR5uRlrdC44SzscpDm2OBkUvsOcklanLtcGLOOUr0sL9uW25CjdQAX6jdHkTlxX14xeziiavGptU2Q/s1412/Ai%20Washinda%20Character%20Sheet_MAID%20RPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEXfiCTF1zmkYW9y0Rk4PyNnl6IQLmProBn1vvOsFbLX4xmiSPcsMYJhsLO4OVIBqdU8vmY2OdtgQf3DHGno8MV9qfwjZl2-GtY_3YwCI7oIlS0IR5uRlrdC44SzscpDm2OBkUvsOcklanLtcGLOOUr0sL9uW25CjdQAX6jdHkTlxX14xeziiavGptU2Q/w490-h640/Ai%20Washinda%20Character%20Sheet_MAID%20RPG.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div>A few houserule additions:</div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Under Maid Roots Debt is more that she remembers being broke and desperate to find a good job as opposed to her family owing money to the mob or whathaveyou. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Her version of Rampage is kind of Berserker Rage, an unfocused whirlwind of hitting things. In the rules it seems directed at damaging the Mansion. Ai's more interested in hitting people. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><b>Notes:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ai's name - Ai Washinda - translates to 'Love is dead', which would more properly be written Ai wa shinda. The player's Japanese was pretty good I recall. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The other Maid PCs were:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Head Maid was a Cool Vampire who ran the day-to-day of the manor and its staff. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Strong Werewolf had muscle mommy vibes. She did physical repairs and maintenance.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our Sweet/Innocent Merfolk girl tended the garden, house plants, and koi pond. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Heroine Ghost covered traditional housework: laundry, making beds, etc. Paladin type. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Butler combined Batman's Alfred with The Invisible Man and the Chef was Igor as played by Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The wish granting Demon/Succubus was revealed to have been charged with this task to atone for things she'd done in the past. As we learn that this is the 200th Master of Halloween event, we all kinda figured she'd payed her dues and didn't seem like a bad person.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The girls didn't really vie for Gerhard's affections directly but did sort of friendly flirt with him from time to time. More accurately they had little intimate moments with him where an audience could say, "Wait, do I see a spark there?" This felt perfect for what could have easily been the first episode of a Harem Anime series. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">The enemy Demon Maids were themed on the Seven Deadly Sins:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Envy who wanted to win because Crookwell was tired of losing every year. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Gluttony who tried to steal and eat all the snacks.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Greed who sought to steal valuable items from the manor. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Lust who sought to seduce Gerhard. I believe she hit on the Butler and Werewolf too.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pride who just wouldn't stop telling everyone else how awesome she was.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sloth who was lazy and couldn't be bothered to join the fray. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wrath who just wanted to fight the other maids. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Legacy:</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">I haven't run MAID since these two sessions so...yeah...it's been a while. Thinking on it now, that's a shame. It really is a wacky and fun game. It's also, as noted above, pretty uniquely Japanese. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvshPosyhcOO3tyGh6DDmnq0P_BUWFDG8w2-9NBbOWYhpPDUBxxLH1PrRgSIiBpo2oZbER8dfP4VFWZArO_dgcty8oPSQnflH9Z6o_qXq7rwMcHqFLvs1KGXoAiWMxtST-1nOn3vMEy7NlXU9oif2uc_pKI_SfUXmn42aVTMxmV58k5bdVrOS10rWD0OoT/s2047/Ai%20Shinda-Zombie%20Maid_MAID%20RPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="1447" height="674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvshPosyhcOO3tyGh6DDmnq0P_BUWFDG8w2-9NBbOWYhpPDUBxxLH1PrRgSIiBpo2oZbER8dfP4VFWZArO_dgcty8oPSQnflH9Z6o_qXq7rwMcHqFLvs1KGXoAiWMxtST-1nOn3vMEy7NlXU9oif2uc_pKI_SfUXmn42aVTMxmV58k5bdVrOS10rWD0OoT/w476-h674/Ai%20Shinda-Zombie%20Maid_MAID%20RPG.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Next we take a lap at full throttle as we enter the high-octane, heavy caliber thrill ride of Mobile Racer Championship and meet Mecha Driver <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">AKI RUSH</span></b>!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-26908412974695321272024-01-01T22:31:00.002-05:002024-01-01T22:31:31.730-05:00Shinki-itten - A Fresh Start<span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Happy New Year</b> dear readers and welcome to <b>2024</b>!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Last year sucked blog wise. The only year with a lower post count was 2009, the year I started doing this. Several projects I was really excited to undertake ended up never coming to pass and many others were started but remain unfinished. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">That's not to say there weren't some quality posts, just not a lot of them. Certainly not enough of them in my opinion.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had some personal issues last year that required my attention and took me away from the blog but rest assured they are now behind me. I am endeavoring to start anew in 2024, improving myself and my life both personally and professionally. This enables me to improve my blogging as well, which is something I really need for my mental well being it turns out. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To that end...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOff4wbXdvY6uJlXi1YlJLXwIjzRxDvxfj90BusOa9LSyj96T8i-pvjSu-T6JZYc7U22765rypQTYN0sSY3hk1HsVBL0TAbr9Vv64oGMGn-1uhvfNaJ4VgOtP3Zz4XSFl6gKKGuogA26yXujpOgyJyKVpylWPoer4dzLRrcSpZ4dZhlwzciZSNZE-sPkw/s1456/Green%20Oni%20Mask%20Samurai%20Woman_AI%20AD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="816" height="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOff4wbXdvY6uJlXi1YlJLXwIjzRxDvxfj90BusOa9LSyj96T8i-pvjSu-T6JZYc7U22765rypQTYN0sSY3hk1HsVBL0TAbr9Vv64oGMGn-1uhvfNaJ4VgOtP3Zz4XSFl6gKKGuogA26yXujpOgyJyKVpylWPoer4dzLRrcSpZ4dZhlwzciZSNZE-sPkw/w403-h720/Green%20Oni%20Mask%20Samurai%20Woman_AI%20AD.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's <b>Japanuary</b> here at Barking Alien, with an entire month largely focused on Tabletop Role Playing Games inspired by, all about, or coming from Japan and Japanese Pop Culture Entertainment. We're going to talk about Anime, Manga, Mythology, History, Sentai, and much more, with an emphasis on how they can be gamed. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">From Mecha to the Meiji Era, from Monster Katsu to Tokusatsu, get ready for a wild ride. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A few disclaimers first:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I want to be clear upfront that I do not speak or read Japanese. I am not a trained expert on the subjects of Japanese history, culture, or Japan's TRPG market. I am merely an enthusiast who first became seriously interested in Anime and Manga some 35-40 years ago. I first discovered Japan had an active paper, pencil, and dice RPG hobby in 1989 and became absolutely obsessed with learning more about it. I've had numerous friends and acquaintances, including several of Japanese origin or living oversea who are more knowledgeable then myself and have been kind enough to indulge my curiosity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Combining all this time, effort, information, and personal experiences running and/or playing these games myself, I hope to provide those with less exposure to the merest of glimpse into this fascinating world.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">私と一緒に来てください / Watashitoisshoni kite kudasai</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Please come with me,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My deepest condolences to the people of Japan at this time, especially those in the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Noto Peninsula region of Ishikawa Prefecture. Today</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> at 4:30 pm JST, a number of earthquakes struck, including one rated at a magnitude of 7.6. The earthquakes generated a massive tsunami measuring up to 1.2 miles along the Sea of Japan. My heart and thoughts go to those effected. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-50270867792135570232023-12-31T13:17:00.000-05:002023-12-31T13:17:59.056-05:00Kineto Returns In...The RETURN of the RETURN of KINETO!<span style="font-family: arial;">Let's finish up 2023 with the completion of my most popular series this year so that we can begin the new year fresh! Well...fresh-ish. Kind of fresh. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Following the events of Kineto's encounter with the mysterious <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2023/09/kineto-his-life-and-times.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Faust</span></a>, there was no sign of the Master of Motion for almost a year.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLp0V32iVfbM_vr36OOaHm67NAU9zkh1nkmanpIncGAOjJjpO_HzrrqMQ_W447GFzTdF13xfEX7Z9QyXZcnl4EvuSVg_x0sOmJrpTXxMIBcNv52AH4MXUiuRLl5oQY026eoZymnutHgEN5yATFwHoXM8DWuX4153jjcyuuZbioFIDSi8Ty1DUZjcnwCPRG/s1244/Kineto%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1244" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLp0V32iVfbM_vr36OOaHm67NAU9zkh1nkmanpIncGAOjJjpO_HzrrqMQ_W447GFzTdF13xfEX7Z9QyXZcnl4EvuSVg_x0sOmJrpTXxMIBcNv52AH4MXUiuRLl5oQY026eoZymnutHgEN5yATFwHoXM8DWuX4153jjcyuuZbioFIDSi8Ty1DUZjcnwCPRG/w640-h514/Kineto%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One morning the following Spring, the Monitor Room in UNITY New York's secret base (located in New York City's Central Park beneath <a href="https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/belvedere-castle"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Belvedere Castle</span></a> - Shhh. Don't tell anyone.) alerted the team to a lifeform with a high Meta-Energy signature mere meters from one of the base's auxiliary entrances. Within seconds the sensors were able to identify the individual as Kineto.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">UNITY immediately mobilized all the heroes they had on hand as well as more than two dozen heavily armed UNTIL Agents. Additional heroes and agents were placed on high alert. Leading the response team was <b>Night Force</b> (who had recently taken over field operations from Omni, the latter having been promoted to a more behind-the-scenes leadership position). As the Supers and UNTIL Agents popped out of hidden exits and quickly surrounded Kineto, recessed security systems aimed automated high-energy weapons at him. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For his part, Kineto stood calm and still. He had a slightly irritated scowl on his face and he crossed his arms as if impatiently waiting for the fuss to subside. Finally, with all of UNITY and UNTIL's operatives in place, Night Force asked Kineto why he was there and what he wanted. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Kineto went right into explaining that another Supervillain (sadly I forget which one but he was another upper tier threat) was concocting a plot to cause a disturbance to distract from stealing a thing. The villain intended on using that thing to destroy a place and hold an entire country hostage. Kineto gave as detailed a timeline for these events as he could based on the intel he had. When Night Force responded, "Why are you telling us this?", Kineto said simply...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"So you can stop him. You're Superheroes. Isn't that your job?"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">With that he shot skyward at such an incredible velocity it was virtually impossible to determine the direction he took off in. Sensors on the ground and even UNTIL satellite surveillance completely lost track of Kineto within seconds. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A few months later Kineto aided the heroes of UNITY, as well as those of two other Earths, in battling the machinations of three cosmic level threats: <b>Dark Seed</b> of Champions League Earth-Delta Ceti-1A, <b>Dark Unicorn </b>of Challengers Earth-Mu-1A, and <b>Dark Seraph</b> of Champions Earth-Alpha Delta-1A. This '<a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2014/08/rpgaday-challenge-day-28.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Dark Trinity Event</span></a>' saw these beings try to merge their respective worlds into one, killing billions in the process and absorbing their life forces to gain more power. Kineto played a key role in helping thwart their plans and saving the lives of a great many, including several Superheroes and Supervillains from all three dimensions. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>The Dark Trinity</b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A4js6edpH56xUWetl54TcA0Z6DHV68-w2Nvlmpp4zL9iamlGeHDXpQI7DoxIzQ1A5465QnHaKQWwSYxLfIA_ZPI1jUOq0nWspQ7r3qYP3TTuKsAO4pD6lAbxn1c7s8WNgOxgndldjH4jVHJnNPl2A_9M84yMGA_EVQD7XEOCNTyG92YkYoA1cZ8UNpdF/s1241/Dark%20Trinity_Champions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1241" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A4js6edpH56xUWetl54TcA0Z6DHV68-w2Nvlmpp4zL9iamlGeHDXpQI7DoxIzQ1A5465QnHaKQWwSYxLfIA_ZPI1jUOq0nWspQ7r3qYP3TTuKsAO4pD6lAbxn1c7s8WNgOxgndldjH4jVHJnNPl2A_9M84yMGA_EVQD7XEOCNTyG92YkYoA1cZ8UNpdF/w640-h400/Dark%20Trinity_Champions.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Left to Right: Dark Seed, Dark Seraph, Dark Unicorn.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">This becomes something of a trend; Kineto's subsequent appearances do more good than harm, assisting the good guys in roles ranging from support to direct intervention. One incident of particular note was when Champions Earth-AD-1A was invaded by '</span><b style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">Big Brother</b><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">', a team of four superpowered teenage individuals from a seemingly utopian Alternate Earth.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>When it appeared the heroes of Earth-AD-1A were going to lose to the invading Alternate Earth superbeings calling themselves Big Brother, Kineto threatened to destroy the planet rather than let it fall under the invaders' rule. He claimed he could absorb the motion and kinetic energy of the world turning - yes, the rotation of the Earth - and re-apply it in such a way as to send the planet out of its orbit.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-small;"><b>Big Brother</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPidW1n0lGGGI4TMxT_Gwvb9AEeA4bmbIntxeh70szV8OGkSoZJJd9gg12a-irCnsEEeETavU703IaqKcLYJS4UsMf5sh9kHoSvDAdG2a3zRTRwTpCThCiduLEkqQlKuTSlkwau3HJhhmVW9BNmP1NnhcjHcO9CG3_U2cO1kAdcV5H0XLlTsyiPcIQc2i/s1389/Big%20Brother_Champions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1389" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPidW1n0lGGGI4TMxT_Gwvb9AEeA4bmbIntxeh70szV8OGkSoZJJd9gg12a-irCnsEEeETavU703IaqKcLYJS4UsMf5sh9kHoSvDAdG2a3zRTRwTpCThCiduLEkqQlKuTSlkwau3HJhhmVW9BNmP1NnhcjHcO9CG3_U2cO1kAdcV5H0XLlTsyiPcIQc2i/w640-h406/Big%20Brother_Champions.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-small;">Left to Right:</span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-small;">The Harmonist, The Whimsy, The Revolutionary, The Anachronist</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The 'leader' of Big Brother, The Revolutionary, could tell he wasn't bluffing (Kineto believed he could this and would do it but they had no idea if Kineto actually had that much power). This made the four invaders reconsider their approach and objectives. They decided to return to their home dimension and let the people of Earth-AD-1A work toward a better tomorrow on their own. See the entry on</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2018/06/parallel-development.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Big Brother Earth-Alpha Delta-Z</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">for more information</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;">Kineto's actions over that year lead many to question whether his motives had changed. Was he still going full bore with his 'Manifesto' or had he returned to his Golden Age heroic ways. Night Force noted that Kineto's focus and objectives likely haven't altered at all. His actions are always directly related to his views, whether obvious to us or not. </span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The next appearance of Kineto occurred a few months later in an incident that started small but escalated to epic fairly quickly. It all began when <b>Tempus Fugit</b>, a one time C-List Supervillain who'd worked his way up to B-List 'Mighty Mook', contacted Kineto with a proposition.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Fugit wanted to join Kineto's cause and said that if he was allowed into the organization he would share his latest invention, a 'device of great power and near-infinite potential". Normally Kineto would ignore this sort of person but the man's confidence and bravado intrigued him. While he took Tempus Fugit up on his offer to meet, Kineto also alerted UNITY New York to the situation so they might capture Fugit and any associates. Kineto's personal goal was to ascertain what this device of near-infinite potential was and could he use it to his advantage. However, he considered destroying it if he deemed its operation too dangerous. First he had to know what it was and if Tempus Fugit wasn't just selling snake oil. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As the two parties - Tempus Fugit and his henchmen and Kineto - met in the sub-basement of an abandoned downtown watchmaking shop, a third group consisting of several UNITY heroes monitored the proceedings from hidden positions. Fugit attempted short and awkward pleasantries before revealing his invention...a gosh-dang-completely-legit TIME MACHINE! This was no small hand-held item. Rather it was a four-person circular platform with standing crossbars and spinning rings going around it. <span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Imagine a mix of a playground roundabout and the prison rings that held Zod, Ursa, and Non in Superman II. </span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As Tempus began to activate it and explain its operation to Kineto, a whirling vortex of white light appeared on the far wall and out of it stepped a metallic being calling itself <b>Avatar-7</b>. Speaking in the third person, Avatar-7 made it clear his mission was to destroy the device and eliminate Fugit. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T6l8ItwPqbsqXwk849dAsgWXNL0cBmhLX-DISDJomYjD3tRCqlFeGCTzppsTiGtGg-c1fGWamleYK7rcBgyoZ1dyFG4m6vJPAV0Xw8Xpj7xvaxVJvZd5erezK0tim1KdwxwV98HPdl_w-KIBgSPaznYhBs3qZHLybn8ssgK36Z-Ku9Z7_RzEt8pL5wMo/s879/Avatar-7%20_Champions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="561" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T6l8ItwPqbsqXwk849dAsgWXNL0cBmhLX-DISDJomYjD3tRCqlFeGCTzppsTiGtGg-c1fGWamleYK7rcBgyoZ1dyFG4m6vJPAV0Xw8Xpj7xvaxVJvZd5erezK0tim1KdwxwV98HPdl_w-KIBgSPaznYhBs3qZHLybn8ssgK36Z-Ku9Z7_RzEt8pL5wMo/w408-h640/Avatar-7%20_Champions.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Avatar-7</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The UNITY team came out of the shadows and sprung into action to protect and secure Tempus Fugit. At the same time, Kineto moved to the </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Time Dial </b><span style="font-family: arial;">(or Time Revolver) to deactivate it and see how to remove it from the area. Before he could complete his objective additional vortexes of light appeared, these surrounded by halos of primary colors. Two new individuals, a female named </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Era</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> and a male named </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Eon</b><span style="font-family: arial;">, declared their intent on destroying Avatar-7 (who they identified as an Android) and obtaining the Time Dial platform. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Chaos erupts, with everyone present essentially battling everyone else. The fight spilled out to the ground floor above and then eventually into the street. At one point, Eon struck a member of UNITY sending him flying, only to have the hero suddenly disappear.<b>*</b> Kineto fought the newcomers and Avatar-7 but tried to avoid engaging with the UNITY members. Fugit was attempting to hide for the most part, occasionally tossing a gadget into the fray to hurt or hinder Era, Eon, Avatar-7, and UNITY. Finally, as Avatar-7 attacked the Dial itself, Kineto countered, causing the temporal displacement effects of the platform and the Android to activate simultaneously and releasing a blinding blast of Chronoton energy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The explosive release of uncontrolled temporal power sent everyone present ('present' - see what I did there?) into different places in space and time. Tempus Fugit and two UNITY members ended up in Medieval England. Two other heroes and Era appear in Ancient Rome. Eon and two more UNITY members wind up in the American 'Old West'. It took time (*rimshot*), teamwork, and a host of period specific allies and enemies to figure out what was going on and how it all connected with <b>Doctor Epoch</b>, aka <b>Father Time</b>!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx2NFanJOh0j52XZXENWki8DbgPb5H35NmhriZhmAdZRT-TkNFTyqP6XHEQDeNSeyrjlmK7CzVvTtDrfn-7yA7q9TuDBLU8XxxXnQE1OCw-SglTdaX9i03f_UZOEJAIj_J1fOp4HeliZuzIG2cMlFsNVhYlMJc0Dfc-tmlbonnJaGEy8HUFhu25pLpHln/s1400/Timekeepers_Champions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1400" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx2NFanJOh0j52XZXENWki8DbgPb5H35NmhriZhmAdZRT-TkNFTyqP6XHEQDeNSeyrjlmK7CzVvTtDrfn-7yA7q9TuDBLU8XxxXnQE1OCw-SglTdaX9i03f_UZOEJAIj_J1fOp4HeliZuzIG2cMlFsNVhYlMJc0Dfc-tmlbonnJaGEy8HUFhu25pLpHln/w640-h432/Timekeepers_Champions.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Left to Right:</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The Time Twins - Era and Eon, Doctor Epoch/Father Time, and Tempus Fugit</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But this is a post about Kineto...so what became of him? Kineto was transported to the far future where he encountered the perfect utopian society of </span><b style="font-family: arial;">The Galactic Unity, </b><span style="font-family: arial;">defended by the </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Galactic Champions</b><span style="font-family: arial;">. Kineto was amazed by the peace that had been achieved in this distant era. Unfortunately, it would be revealed to him by members of the Galactic Champions that he, Kineto, had nothing to do with it. In fact, according to the information archived in their computers and the </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Museum of The Supernormal</b><span style="font-family: arial;">, Kineto was merely a footnote in history. His activites, cause, manifesto, and everything he had struggled to achieve were simply one of many curious stories on display in the 20th and 21st Century exhibitions. In fact, his actions as a young hero of World War II received much more representation. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"My dream...my plans...Superhumans ruling and guiding normal Humanity to a better tomorrow. Surely that came to pass, yes? You have a utopia here." Kineto said.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The leader of the Galactic Champions, a </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Mandaarian**</b>, replied,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> "Essentially. It isn't absolutely perfect. Nothing is or can be. It was achieved through finding harmony among all the peoples of Earth and beyond. Human, Superhuman, Aliens...we all worked together to get here and we got here on our own."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In the end, all involved were returned to their proper time and place. Tempus Fugit was arrested and the Time Dial confiscated by UNITY. Era and Eon trapped Dr. Epoch, their father, in a pocket of pre-time until they could find their mother (whose identify was unknown to them). Avatar-7 was very badly damaged and left drifting into a black hole (he would return eventually). As for Kineto, he appeared quiet and introspective. He thanked UNITY for there efforts and Fugit for giving him a glimpse into his possible future. Kineto then departed without any further incident and the heroes let him go. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Six months prior to now*** ('now' being the start of any campaign I run or have run in my version of my friend William Corpening's <b>Age of Champions</b> setting) the Earth was invaded by an alliance of alien species who were attacked by an unmanned, heavily armed space satellite/combat platform. That platform was constructed by Scaramangler Industries and posthumously activated by 'accident'. The alien species that were targeted had all been enemies of Humanity in the past and saw this as sufficient reason to eliminate the Earth once and for all. They dubbed their joint operation <b>Invasion: Earth</b> and the conflict has been dubbed <a href="https://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-history-of-world-part-ii.html"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>the Invasion: Earth War</b></span></a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">At one point in the fighting, two or three dozen starfighters were launched at Great Britain. Most of the British Superheroes were already battling the invaders on the ground but the <b>Ultramarine</b>, one of the world's most powerful supers, flew to intercept. As he reached the edge of the stratosphere he noticed a much larger starship just beyond the exosphere. It had clearly sent the starfighters and would provide support for them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Just then he became aware of an object or individual approaching him from below at great speed. Readying himself, he saw that it was Kineto! When Kineto reached the Ultramarine he hovered some 50 ft away from the British Superman and the two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. They had never met face-to-face. Kineto nodded upward, as if indicating Ultramarine should take on the larger starship. Cocking his head to indicate confusion, Ultramarine was surprised when Kineto looked at the oncoming small attack craft, then to Ultramarine, and finally giving a reassuring nod. Somehow, even though they'd never met, Ultramarine understood and returned the nod before rocketing to escape velocity. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As Ultramarine shot past the starfighters, Kineto smiled (never a good sign). He snapped his fingers and all the fightercraft stopped dead in the air as if frozen in time. Their pilots...didn't. Didn't stop their forward motion that is. As the fighters fell from the sky and into the ocean below, Kineto looked up to see Ultramarine tearing through the Vilarian cruiser. He noted an interesting and remarkably close similar in Ultramarine's approach and powers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And uniform...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLPygWaxq0RMydizS4Jma8zg6-pXpsg3G0j4sFXVZMZ4MW6l9yYyR-Br1nmCYMiyHqzm2hCPa0Z0bMuTcAHJPtqYvj9wGdukYwc-OwuCSE1KydgYzZlQjlP2jIpGbiiSv7zaA3-guaOjZJ4Y_Jf2a4G9nuKhIHIW4CaW4tUSrTgcOu_2M5gB6hINruzzm/s1377/Kineto%20and%20Ultramarine%20Connection_Champions%20Earth-1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="1300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLPygWaxq0RMydizS4Jma8zg6-pXpsg3G0j4sFXVZMZ4MW6l9yYyR-Br1nmCYMiyHqzm2hCPa0Z0bMuTcAHJPtqYvj9wGdukYwc-OwuCSE1KydgYzZlQjlP2jIpGbiiSv7zaA3-guaOjZJ4Y_Jf2a4G9nuKhIHIW4CaW4tUSrTgcOu_2M5gB6hINruzzm/w604-h640/Kineto%20and%20Ultramarine%20Connection_Champions%20Earth-1A.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Whew. Wow. Kineto's tale is finally complete. Until it continues that is...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks for coming by in 2023. Hope you found something to enjoy. Looking forward to 2024 and all the new ideas it'll bring.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy New Year Everybody! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><b>*</b>This was hilarious. The character known as Eon punched a PC Superhero and that hero disappeared. The player was told that his hero appeared to be gone, vanished, undetectable. He opted to use an Alt (alternate character) until a week of real time later when the original hero reappeared in the same place he vanished from and continued forward, finally hitting the ground. Eon quite literally <b>punched him into next week</b>. </span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><b>**</b>The superhero Omni, mentioned throughout these entries and basically the founder and head of Project: UNITY is a Mandaarian. </span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: arial;"><b>***</b>This story arc was the last one I was in as a player. Following the Invasion: Earth War events, we all started college and didn't get to regularly play together. The campaign setting did indeed continue on with different players but this is the final major incident I was part of. As such, I view it as the completion of the campaign's history and therefore Kineto's history before adding anything to it with any new campaign's canon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-40159084808949225292023-12-26T15:09:00.000-05:002023-12-26T15:09:17.439-05:00Love Letter to Japan<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've caught the Anime/Manga/Japanese Pop Culture bug again something fierce and you know who benefits most from this? You all! How? Well, once again I'm going to be posting some (hopefully) interesting Japanese Tabletop RPG ideas insights, and information in the month of January 2024!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaY6c_38NL5fJz_tRaK-PHdRTVMYOdPItt9jeyg8wqw2q6a-8IGvZUFL6VNxSTjF_rGNOJsWo6tZ0HRwb6J7FezIJvacn07A0XmvA1SZc1BwlL5iykQq3TiEdW8FOlQmLcPUR0BwUECJAxanPrMOUwyrbD0ndEm6hjREoQkJfF1d26Cc9jv6se9mW4acL/s1257/Japanese%20January%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1257" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaY6c_38NL5fJz_tRaK-PHdRTVMYOdPItt9jeyg8wqw2q6a-8IGvZUFL6VNxSTjF_rGNOJsWo6tZ0HRwb6J7FezIJvacn07A0XmvA1SZc1BwlL5iykQq3TiEdW8FOlQmLcPUR0BwUECJAxanPrMOUwyrbD0ndEm6hjREoQkJfF1d26Cc9jv6se9mW4acL/w640-h600/Japanese%20January%202024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Planned highlights include:</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Ideas and thoughts inspired by the amazing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Eye_Samurai"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>Blue Eye Samurai</b></span></a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The release of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicious_in_Dungeon"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Delicious in Dungeon</span></b></a> Animated Series on Netflix next month! So excited!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Sentai is turned on its head by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go!_Go!_Loser_Ranger!"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Go! Go! Loser Ranger</span>!</b></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">My newest JTRPG obsession <b><a href="https://twitter.com/Melolibur/status/1727770107760546082"><span style="color: #04ff00;">Mamono Scramble</span></a></b>, 'Slice of Life meets Chainsaw Man'!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Convictor Drive and Metallic Rouge - Human sized Mecha explode with coolness!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Horror and Humor combine in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zom_100:_Bucket_List_of_the_Dead"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">ZOM 100: Bucket List of the Dead</span></b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undead_Girl_Murder_Farce"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Undead Girl Murder Farce</span></b></a>.</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally I'll be doing the </span><b style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://tardiscaptain.com/2023/11/16/2024-character-creation-challenge/"><span style="color: #04ff00;">31 Days / 31 Characters Challenge</span></a> </b><span style="font-family: arial;">but with an Otaku twist! Each of the characters presented will be from either a JTRPG I've played or run or an American TRPG I played/ran that was Japanese History and/or Pop Culture inspired. </span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s my Role Playing Game experiences were heavily influenced by Japanese animation and comic books. While not every game was a full on 'Anime RPG', nearly all of the games I ran [and lots that I played] during this time benefitted from our exposure to Japanese Fandom Entertainment. </span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Get ready to see characters, both Player and Non-Player alike, from games and settings such as <b>Blade of Arcana</b>, <b>Dragonball</b>, <b>MAID</b>, <b>Mobile Racer Championship</b>, <b>SATASUPE</b>, <b>Shadowrun</b>, <b><span>Space Battleship Yamato</span></b>, <b>Super Happy Sentai Hour, </b>and many more! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGG2rt2vo6586DXH2L5qvaBru-hvf0oAbkT0A7WqQpyQurJagkUfQUzBn30R1m60VxOld6Nzz7_e7HXPUCYWGTfByqgMxIoZTCRUQS0m4ENcL62tWKRGTDVfdI69yx3xjixbiwHyMii66ENbNWGXMankMdP5HWjOMEYfhnorwvVuiMu9CUylAlvjDMifH/s887/31%20Day%20Character%20Challenge-Original_2024%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="798" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGG2rt2vo6586DXH2L5qvaBru-hvf0oAbkT0A7WqQpyQurJagkUfQUzBn30R1m60VxOld6Nzz7_e7HXPUCYWGTfByqgMxIoZTCRUQS0m4ENcL62tWKRGTDVfdI69yx3xjixbiwHyMii66ENbNWGXMankMdP5HWjOMEYfhnorwvVuiMu9CUylAlvjDMifH/w576-h640/31%20Day%20Character%20Challenge-Original_2024%202.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Additionally I will likely go over the particulars of making games feel 'Anime'. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Grab some Pocky and a bottle of KIRIN Royal Milk Tea and join me for Japanuary here at Barking Alien!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ja Mata Ne!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2465863144787683153.post-50076349911490311222023-12-24T23:22:00.000-05:002023-12-24T23:22:11.273-05:00'Twas the Starflight Before Xmas...<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmUDHsRJ1EvMFPLnsdOju5BmzPYyWKJbBdFJAaOnuaHmp5X8LhyZCX6DQG25dJQUvvBExb5L8pZjmvgrW_HQJ0nw-9_uYdG12lUGz6aztoVY2xF8xLxMjJgz9IxgKycYrDyPb8GV-UIgpGGToUIkyqY6ltOA2bXGRGtHdWKbKfA0HJgfU9uR_2YWwf-iG/s609/Space%20Santa_Twas%20the%20Starflight%20Before%20Xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="609" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmUDHsRJ1EvMFPLnsdOju5BmzPYyWKJbBdFJAaOnuaHmp5X8LhyZCX6DQG25dJQUvvBExb5L8pZjmvgrW_HQJ0nw-9_uYdG12lUGz6aztoVY2xF8xLxMjJgz9IxgKycYrDyPb8GV-UIgpGGToUIkyqY6ltOA2bXGRGtHdWKbKfA0HJgfU9uR_2YWwf-iG/w640-h592/Space%20Santa_Twas%20the%20Starflight%20Before%20Xmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">'Twas the starflight before Xmas and all through the ship,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All systems ran silent, there was barely a blip;<br />Barkley was nestled in the hypersleep bays;<br />While a bio-bed monitor counted the days;<br />And I in my sleepsuit on the bridge all alone,<br />Set the coordinates for our long warp jump home.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Suddenly on the outer hull there arose such a clatter,<br />I was sure we'd been struck by debris or space matter.<br />Away to the main screen fighting off shock,<br />I pressed buttons and touchscreens for a clear sensor lock.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">.<br />And what to my intricate scans should appear,<br />But a sleigh-like spacecraft with tractor beam gear!<br />The next thing I knew the computer alerted,<br />That several security seals were inverted,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An airlock was accessed and that wasn't great,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So I picked up a blaster before it was too late. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I crept down a corridor, the lighting was dim,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Chances of a peaceful encounter seemed slim.<br />When I entered the large crew lounge I was taken aback.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As we clearly weren't under attack.<br />In the room was a lifeform who seemed rather Human,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His smile was infectious, his laughter was booming!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />His helmet transparent, his spacesuit all red,<br />White hair and beard surrounded his head.<br />He adjusted some gadget he wore on his arm,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As he considered and smiled I felt no alarm. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was than that he saw me and gave me a wink,<br />I honestly didn't know what I should think.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He pressed something down on the gauntlet he wore, <br />And I wondered just what the man had in store.<br />Suddenly stars rained down from the ceiling,<br />With a brightness so powerful it near sent me reeling!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I covered my eyes to ward off the glow,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">White sparks and gold lightning danced to and fro.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I looked up again, the lounge was quite changed,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Presents and sweets and a tree were arranged,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The strange entity was nowhere to be seen,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What had just happened and what did it mean?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The entire chamber was holiday decorated,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And I found a note on a pad on a table that stated;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><i>'To you and to Barkley, my best to you both,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><i>Returning next year to fulfill your oath,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><i>To engage, entertain, and write as you feel,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><i>Seeing humor in life and yet keeping it real.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><i>Peace and prosperity through this epic starflight</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial;"><i>Merry Xmas to all and to all a good night!'</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From Barkley and myself and all those who help keep The Barking Alien blog going, a very Happy Holidays and we'll see you soon!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2T3K0WtqZxZZBXkE02L7bQ27Po_Z_XYrduucw2d9BfrXSsjJkjeBpZYAHB91uAdBaSwoNzFkPFr3k8XRqSesl0ZbhJ8qX240_gpM1XyJ8_WwWZ6iXTAuphOglxcB8F341LWsTGDmY4aK4yVl9T-11MtTQOLJwZcbHQY4hWUXNlFwtxEeBos7Ekxkmavr2/s1470/Barking%20Alien-Happy%20Holidays%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2T3K0WtqZxZZBXkE02L7bQ27Po_Z_XYrduucw2d9BfrXSsjJkjeBpZYAHB91uAdBaSwoNzFkPFr3k8XRqSesl0ZbhJ8qX240_gpM1XyJ8_WwWZ6iXTAuphOglxcB8F341LWsTGDmY4aK4yVl9T-11MtTQOLJwZcbHQY4hWUXNlFwtxEeBos7Ekxkmavr2/w522-h640/Barking%20Alien-Happy%20Holidays%202023.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peace and love,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">AD</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barking Alien</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Adam Dicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.com0