31 Days / 31 Characters - DANAR DUGONG

The announcement of Toon getting a Second Edition made me wax nostalgic about my old Zoonatics campaign from the early 90s. My love for that game inspired me to make a brand new Zoonatics character, dusting off my copy of the original Toon.

I rolled up the character's Stats but for everything else I used my own ideas and preferences for what this character would be like instead of randomizing.

Character: Danar Dugong

AKA: None

Player: Possibly me, possibly an NPC.

System: Toon

 

Nature: Created for this Challenge.

Gamemaster: None yet. Possibly me.

Circa: January 4th, 2026

Origins: As mentioned above, the idea for this character was brought about simply by the announcement of Toon's Second Edition and a hardy dose of nostalgia for my ol' NJ Group and our Zoonatics campaign. 

Backstory: Danar Dugong was born and raised in the warm, shallow waters around the Philippines. From a very young age, Danar wanted to swim further and deeper than his fellow dugong, curious to see new places, new creatures, and to learn all he could about the deep sea. Unfortunately, he - like all members of his species - breathe air! He can only go so far and so deep before he needs to surface. 

Unless...

Danar decided to learn the art and science of Deep Sea Scuba Diving. After years of study and practice he became an accomplished Diver, Scuba Instructor, and discovered a number of shipwrecks and new fish species. After an injury that prevented him from Scuba Diving for a while, Danar filmed sequences for Zoonatics. This lead to him having his own seqment, 'Diving with Danar Dugong'.

Overview: "Hello! Beautiful day isn't it! Look at that Sunshine! Feel that breeze! Smell the salty air! I am Danar Dugong and this is Diving With Danar Dugong! That's Me!"

OK, gonna get dark here for a moment...

Zoonatics, as noted in my previous post on the campaign, has a dark secret. The animals are in a zoo for the mentally unstable. There's no show, no cameras, and the audience stares at the characters through bars.

So what's wrong with Danar? Well...

I'm thinking he dove too deep once or twice and suffered a tiny bit of oxygen deprevation. The backstory above is largely all in his head. He tends to talk about himself in the third person, he exaggerates his accomplishments, and he is absolutely fearless to the point of ignoring obvious signs of danger. At the same time, he is always positive, warm, generous, and boisterous and wants to share his love of the sea with anyone who seems even remotely interested. 

The Highlights: None yet but I can already see this guy being a lot of fun in small doses. He isn't a 'main character' like Jekyll, The Killer Emu, Uhaul, Manny, and Flamingo Rose. He's more on the level of the Ninja Zebra, Ludwig W. Wombat, and Frog and Toad. 

"Hello! I didn't see you there! I am Danar Dugong and this is Diving With Danar Dugong! Today, we are diving the Great Barrier Reef! Don't look so scared! It's easy for Danar Dugong. Danar Dugong is going, are you? Of course you are! Danar Dugong is happy for you! Let's go!"

Game Info:

Notes: I only chose four out of the eight possible possessions each character is allowed at the start. I couldn't think of anything beyond those items that immediately sprang to mind. They are all of the 'unusual items' category and I would rule these items are kind of special and uncommon were I the GM. 

In addition to the obvious items like a Compass and Scuba Gear, I figured he'd also carry a Map of the area he's diving in and a Waterproof Camera to take underwater pictures.

Legacy: We'll see. I'm sure I could drum up a one-shot of Zoonatics when Toon's Second Edition releases. 

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Barking Alien

31 Days / 31 Characters - CAPTAIN CONDOR

I thought I'd round out the opening trinity of characters with a Superhero. After Medieval Fantasy and Science Fiction, that would seem the logical follow-up genre to cover the major TRPG 'Food Groups', right?

I don't have time to do a Champions character right now (thinking about what kind of Super to make takes more time than the actual act of Character Creation for me at this point), so I thought I'd go old school with a random generation system. Inspired by a fellow fan of the game by the name of Tim Hartin, I chose my favorite game from way back when, Villains & Vigilantes!

Let's find out who's going to be out there fighting for truth and justice shall we? *Rolls*

Oh boy. This guy is...definitely a V&V Character. LOL

Character: Captain Condor

AKA: Alan Dale, The Winged Wonder

Player: Possibly me, possibly an NPC.

System: Villains and Vigilantes, 2nd Edition

 

Nature: Created for this Challenge. 

Gamemaster: None yet. Possibly me.

Circa: January 3rd, 2026

Origins: Random rolls inspired me to think of this guy as a cross between Captain America and a Superhero in the Public Domain named Airman, but then I realized I'd rolled on the 'Powers' list. This fellow doesn't use devices or special gear to fight crime. He has Bird Powers! Not only that but I actually rolled 'Animal/Plant Powers' twice. When you get this result you get to roll for an additional 1D6 powers based on your rolled or chosen animal type. I rolled Avian and decided to go with two times the Bird Powers! As you can see, this fellow's got a lot of powers related to his Condor-ness. 

Backstory: (I imagine this character as Silver Age, early 1960s or so) Inspired by the heroes of the Second World War and the recent return of both new and old ones to the world stage, down-on-his luck pilot Alan Dale volunteered for what he believed to be a secret government project to create Super Soldiers for the USA by combining ones DNA with that of a particular animal. Alan requested 'Avian' DNA as he thought 'Flight' and 'Eagle Eye Vision' would work well with his past experience and skill as a pilot.

He was right, though the process was extremely painful and resulted in physical mutations he was too naive and desperate to anticipate. Dale grew functional wings, retractable talons on his fingers and toes, as well as a developing a number of other changes. Just as he was preparing to test out his abilities, the facility he was in was raided by a number of established Superheroes and CHESS Agents. As it turned out, the Scientist that performed the operation was lying and had no connections to the government whatsoever. He intended to perfect his techniques and sell his proccess to Intercrime to create new Super-criminals. 

Alan aided the heroes in capturing the Mad Doctor and his minions and was not charged with any crimes himself. Instead, they offered him a job! Work as a Superpowered operative for the Central Headquarters of Extranormal Activities for the Secret Service (CHESS, get it?)*. Originally the CHESS head honchos wanted to refer to his new identity as 'The Winged Bishop' but Alan requested something more inspiring, like the Golden Age Superheroes of yore. He wanted to be called, 'CAPTAIN CONDOR'. They laughed...but they liked it. 

Overview: I remember back in the day playing V&V and rolling the same power twice. We initially re-rolled, an unspoken houserule. Then one day, for reasons I don't recall, we allowed someone to just have a double strong Superpower. Not long after I rolled up a fellow who had Animal/Plant Powers, Animal/Plant Powers again, Wings, and then Waterbreathing. Everyone thought I'd start over but instead I had an idea; I chose Avian and Fish as my Animal Power Sets and created a Native American character called, 'The Seahawk', a cross between DC's Aquaman and Marvel's Falcon.

He was perfect for the campaign we'd planned, a superteam made of heroes from states other than New York and California; 'The Heartland League'. Representing Seattle, the Washington local had magical powers letting him talk to birds and fish, fly, breathe underwater, and possessed incredible Strength, Endurance, and Agility. Sure, Captain Condor is similar but luckily I also rolled a Body Power and a Special Power, allowing him to possess two unique abilities. Capt. Condor has his paralyzing Condor Cry and the ability to lift things into the air with his feet.

Fun!

The Highlights: Definitely like his Flight speed, the Condor Cry, and the Taloned Feet. His Natural Weaponry makes up a bit for his having lower Strength than I'd have hoped for. 

Game Info:

A couple odd things:

I couldn't figure out how to determine his starting Inventing percentage and beginning Cash. It's been a long time since I've played and forgot how it works and where to find it in the rules.

I totally remembered that we changed the Security Clearance system 'cause it kind of ridiculous. The lower the number the better it is, so the President of the US would have a SC of 1 and a Rookie Beat Cop would probably have a 30 [maybe]. You start with the number 40, subtract your less, then you subtract your PC's Intelligence and Charisma. This means someone with Heightened abilities would have an incredibly good Security Clearance. Capt. Condor here ended up in the negatives! Much better than a US President. That just doesn't make sense, especially for a starting character. 

I'd probably just fudge it.

Notes: None as of now. Again, I like him but I haven't thought about it too deeply as of yet.

Legacy: I can see translating this fella into Champions with a few upgrades or modifications. Maybe I'd use him as a PC or NPC in another Supers game as well but with nothing in particular on my plate, Captain Condor gets filed away for now. 

UPDATE: Last night my buddy Mark used Captain Condor as an NPC in our City of Heroes setting Cypher Superheroes game! The good Captain helped the PCs escape an alien ship that had abducted a Superheroine NPC and my PC.

Coming up...Someone Else!

Stay tuned.

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Barking Alien

*In Villains and Vigilantes canon CHESS stands for The Central Headquarters of Espionage for the Secret Service. I changed it back in the day as I wanted it to be thought of as a Superhero Support organization and not just a Spy agency.

Woe, Is Me - I Want to Run Fantasy

So, there's this guy I know...

He really doesn't like Medieval Fantasy of the type you see in Fantasy RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. He really doesn't like the game mechanics the majority of Dungeons and Dragons style RPGs use to facilitate running campaigns in that genre. At the same time, he really, really wants to run a Medieval-ish / Sword & Sorcery-esque Tabletop Roleplaying Game campaign.

Me. I'm that guy.

Beginning next year, I plan on running a [vaguely] Medieval Fantasy RPG campaign with the intent of making it a fairly long term mainstay for one of my groups. 

No, you read that right. No, this isn't a practical joke, I haven't gone mad, nor am I a Parallel Earth doppleganger of Adam from some twisted Mirror Universe. I just...let me explain..

I am Feeling Inspired

There are a lot of reasons for this including but not limited to: 

• I haven't run an ongoing Fantasy campaign for a while and I’m feeling nostalgic.
• I've been inspired by a blog project I am working on to appear early next year.
• I've been inspired by other bloggers discussing Dungeons and Dragons and it makes me what to do something different.
• I've been inspired by various Fantasy Anime, Manga, and RPGs. 

I Love a Challenge

I've had a great year running and playing Ghostbusters, the Wizarding World, Smurfs, Star Trek, Star Wars, and various Superhero games. All things I'm [generally] good at. I can reliably, more often then not, create a good time for my friends and I playing and Gamemastering these genres, settings, and games. 

Fantasy is not so easy for me. It requires a lot more thought, creatvity, research, and patience. Patience with the game, the genre, the players, and myself. The toughest part is always keeping myself interested. 

I really want to give it a go though. It's been a while since a have in a long term, open world fashion the way I once did.

I also want to find or create a system for running this type of game that I don't despise*. 

I Have Some Ideas

I actually have some thoughts on what would make for good 'adventures' or rather, NPCs and happenings going on in a Fantasy world. Many of my ideas are still in the early stage and will need some fleshing out before 'going live'. 

I also need to see what kind of characters the players come up with, as I usually try to intergrate the PCs into the world, the world into the adventures, and therefore the adventures into who the PCs are and what they're all about. 

I'm Driven By Spite (In a Good Way)

I must admit that I have a negative personality trait that makes me want to do a thing after encountering or experiencing that thing and thinking 'that could have been better'.Few things get me as fired up about running a particular game as finishing a bad game and believe it could have been really good.

That said, its not like I've been in any bad Fantasy games lately. In fact, I participated in a short, good one not long ago. Fun as it was, it ended up feeling just like every other Fantasy game and the rule mechanics of the RPG, while functional, eventually felt a little flat. I also vastly prefer running Fantasy to playing it [unless we're talking Smurfs, which I find really fun to play]. 

Then there are all the blog posts out there talking about the various incarnations of D&D. Each one I read makes me want to do it differently, do it my way, and to veer away from the kind of things that made me grow to dislike D&D in the first place. 

I know, it's a terrible reason to want to run a game but sadly it often works for me.

That's it for now. I'll probably be discussing this on and off again as we approach 2026 and the launch of whatever this ends up being.

Later days,

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Barking Alien

*OK, that's a little hyperbolic. I don't despise all Fantasy games. Just ones with Classes, Levels, Hit Points, Miniature/Wargame Based Combat, Treasure Based Experience, and Inflexible and Uncreative Magic.

So...a lot of them. 

Pair of Fives

As should be pretty clear by now, my blogging is really slow this Summer.

It's already mid-August and I've made only 3 posts before this one. My schedule this month has gotten in the way of a lot of things but especially my 'Cities' blog project. I still intend to continue it but it may bleed over into September. *Sigh*

To shake off the disappointment I'm feeling over my own progress [or lack thereof], I thought I'd throw my two credits in on a thing two of my favorite bloggers have done, list of our First Five Tabletop Roleplaying Games.

It began with Lord Blacksteel of The Tower of Zenopus and infected Kelvin of Aiee! Run From Kelvin's Brainsplurge! and now I've caught it. No amount of Vitamin C or Chicken Soup is going to get rid of it until I join in as well...

I'm going to list My First Five RPGs based on my imperfect memory, obsessive notes, and questions to my long time gaming buddies. The years noted aren't when the games were published but rather when [I believe] I played/run them.

While D&D was definitely first, what was second is a little unclear to me. The rest should be roughly in order. Again, check out the years.

Dungeons and Dragons (August 25th, 1977)

Gamma World / Metamorphosis Alpha (1979-1980) I think.

Boot Hill (1980-81) I think.

Traveller (1980-81) Definitely after Boot Hill. 

Gangbusters (1981)

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st Ed. (1981) I think.

Sometimes I think I ran Boot Hill before I played Gamma World, other times I remember it the other way around. I do recall that the first time I played Gamma World, the GM (my friend Richard T.) also owned Metamorphosis Alpha and incorporated some elements of the latter game into his Gamma World adventure.

I also included Advanced D&D 1st Edition which, though it could arguably be lumped into the D&D I had already played, is important to mention because it was here that I started being turned off to Dungeons and Dragons as a whole. I absolutely loved AD&D at the time but the more I played other games after it, the more I noticed its flaws until I realized it just wasn't what I wanted to spend my time and money on. . 

Now, since I'm me and I gotta be different, I'm adding a bonus feature:

The Five RPGs That Currently Interest Me The Most!

Thing is, I posted a collection of games presently on my mind here, just 20 days ago (roughly). This isn't going to be the same list. What's the different? Well...

The previous list was focused on games I'm in the mood to run for which I already have ideas. These five RPGs here are ones that have me thinking about games and gaming in general. They have me considering how and why I play and run games the way I do. They interest me for their potential but not necessarily for ideas I currently have. 

Hmm. On closer inspection, many of these titles are the same as those. Heh. *Sweat Drop*

ALIEN

A game I love but rarely get to play, except when I modify it to run something like Ghostbusters or Red Dwarf. It is a game in which a goal was targeted and clearly achieved; they needed a game with a mechanic that would simulate the Human tendencey to screw up when they panic. They nailed it and did so in a fun, exciting, and unpredictable way (thanks to the randomization of dice results). This game has given me a new perspective on something I've always felt but never saw as clearly as I do here - rules don't have to be complex to be effective. They just need to do what they were intended to do. 

Meteor City SFRPG Star Rainy Days

I really like this game for its ability to capture a particular feel and maintain that atmosphere throughout the book. It's humorous, a little melancholy, kind, and potentially heartbreaking. It's got that cozy, slice-of-life element that I long to include in my games again. I'm searching this game for the secrets of its ability to create that vibe. Plus, what's not to love about a game that promotes world-buidling on both a small and galactic scale?

Smurfs

What can I say, I just SMURFING LOVE this game! It's a rare gem in that it's not overwritten, it has a sense of humor and self-awareness, yet it doesn't try to deconstruct or modernize the subject. This is the Smurfs. It is what it says it is. Aside from how much fun I'm having with it, it inspires me to stay true to concept and being authentic about what I want and intend to do.

Star Trek Adventures 

Though it has more rules than it needs (I feel this way about 90% of the TRPGs in existance), it just works and it works so well. This game is great at allowing me to do what I want to do: Create exciting and intriguing Star Trek scenarios. It allows for world-building, character exploration, and space battles (with a few homemade tweaks) and all the while feels like a Star Trek TV series. It reminds me to seek a balance between the narrative and the rules. 

Tokyo Ghost Research

What can a system be? What do you want it to do? TGR made me question those things and I like the answers I came up with. This game really put control of the outcome of rolls into the hands of the player. No action they take is boring. You don't have to sit through miss after miss before you hit ineffectively. You do what you wanted to, or you do it with consequence, or you the player can decide you failed and then you're compensated by the rules. Brilliant and sublime.

Anyway, that's all I got for you. My brain is a little fried from...just life in general.

Worry not though, more to come.

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Barking Alien

31 Days / 31 Characters - JAKE TOPAZ

I've wanted to include this character in my 31 Days / 31 Characters posts since the very first year I participated but for one reason or another I never got around to him. A recent chat with the PC's player, my long time friend Nelson Marty, gave me what I needed to finally do this entry.

Nelson and I have been friends since I was in middle school, though he was in high school at the time. He is a few years older than I am. Later I would end up going to that same high school (The High School of Art and Design) and that began many, many years of us gaming together. Nelson's name has appeared on this site quite a number of times, mostly relating to Star Trek, Star Wars, and Superheroes, he began in the hobby just as I did, with Basic Dungeons and Dragons.

Art by Me using Midjourney and Photostudio.

Character: Jake Topaz

AKA: Jake Blue Star

Player: Nelson Marty

System: Dungeons & Dragons, Basic 1st Edition, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition

 

Nature: Medium Length Campaign

Gamemaster: Various, including Nelson himself. 

Circa: 1977-78 to 1980

Origins: Jake Topaz was Nelson Marty's first Player Character but actually began life as an NPC in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign he ran sometime in 1977 or 1978. This would have been Basic Dungeons and Dragons and Jake appeared to be Human but was in fact an Elf stats-wise. Later, Nelson played him as a PC when a friend he regularly GMed for wanted to try his hand at GMing.

When Advanced Dungeons and Dragons came along and his friends switched over to those rules (as a great many of us did), Nelson updated Jake and expanded on his background to flesh out his family. This lead to Nelson retiring Jake Topaz and has, over the decades, played his brothers, grandsons, and distant descendants.

It all started with a Grey Elf in a Mask...

Art by Me using Midjourney and Photostudio.

Backstory: Born Jake Blue Star, he is one of three sons of a Male Gray Elf and Female Human. Jake has largely Human features except for his clearly pointed ears and deep purple hair. His younger brother appears completely Human and goes by the name Silver Star. He became a Paladin when he grew to adulthood. The youngest of the three siblings was Azure Star and was Half-Elven in both appearance and physicality. He eventually became a Fighter/Magic-User and had a great many adventures in the Northern Lands (this is the brother from a campaign I ran).

The Star Family Emblem

Originally worn by Silver Star the Paladin, Nelson retroactively said that Jake wore it too

but sometimes hid it beneath his chestplate. Later, when he gained renown as a hero

he added it to the front of his armor. 

When the trio were still quite young their mother died protecting her husband and children from an attack on their mixed Species village. The nearby elves felt honor bound to take in the children and help raise them. Jake stayed as long as he was able but an insatible desire to see the lands and peoples beyond his home gnawed at him. He eventually left and went out on his own, making his way as a sellsword and an adventurer for hire. Unfortunately he learned that many Human locals did not like Elves overmuch and so he hid his ears beneath a leather mask and took on a new name, Jake Topaz. 

Overview: I was never in a game with Jake Topaz and Nelson himself confesses that he didn't play the character as much [or as long] as he did Jake's brothers and many of the subsequent members of the Star Family lineage. Jake is nonetheless worth mentioning for more than just being first. It was Topaz that began many of the 'Character Traditions' that Nelson's Fantasy PCs would embrace for decades to come. 

Among these are the idea that many of the characters that followed Topaz and his siblings are of the same family, however extended. Sometimes the connection to the bloodline is thin at best but it is certainly there. Oddly, this is implied to be true in some fashion even if the characters exist on different worlds and in completely different games. Though (purposely) never defined or clarified, Nelson absolutely intended to convey that there is some link between his collection of PCs. This creates a dynamic we've likened to Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion. 

On a practical level this approach helps Nelson as the player, thinking of these individuals as related gives an instant and easy way to 'buy-in' ti the characters.There is an automatic investment in your 'new' character if they're a relative of one or more of your 'old' characters (I've seen this myself in my Winghorn Guard/Aerth campaigns). An emotional connection is made more directly between the player and their PC under these conditions.

There is a tendency for Nel's Elvish Fantasy characters (and even some of the Humans) to wear Masks. It's his thing. I don't know why. Now when I say that I don't mean his characters wear them for no reason. There is always a narrative point to why the PC is wearing a Mask but it is funny to think there is a long history of Masked Adventurers like the Dread Pirate Roberts of The Princess Bride. 

Art by Nelson Marty. Most likely from 1984 or 89.

The Highlights: Not sure there are highlights to speak of here beyond what has been mentioned above. Nelson didn't recall any particular adventure or event of note involving Topaz. While that's unfortunate, it also isn't unexpected. We are talking about a good 40+ years ago here. 

Game Info: 

The character sheet for Jake Topaz is long gone. While there is a slim possibility that it or a copy of it is stashed in one of Nelson's many archived sketchbooks which he has in storage, there was nothing available for inclusion here (time of posting). 

The initial version was a Fighter; even though he was an Elf by species he was written up as a Human Fighter stat-wise. Can you see why Nelson and I became friends and played a $#^%-ton of games together? Right from the get-go he and his group were changing things up to make D&D more interesting and flexible that it was.  

He was converted into an Elven Fighter for the switch to 1st Edition AD&D and managed to get to 6th or 7th level I believe. . 

Notes: Nelson remembers Jake Topaz's primary magical weapon, a variant of the classic D&D magic sword 'Frostbrand'. A long sword in this incarnation, it had the traditional powers of the item as described in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide-1st Edition, with the addition of a 'Cone of Cold' it could project from the blade once per day. 

While he didn't bring it up, I recall Topaz having a companion animal, a black wolf or dog (or wolf-dog) as confirmed by the image above. 

Legacy: 

Art by Nelson Marty

In many ways the through line of this entry is 'Legacy'. Topaz is most memorable at this point for being the first in a long history of characters connected by family and certain traditions. 

Versions of Topaz and his brothers exist as NPCs in my Fantasy setting of Aerth/The Winghorn Guard. 

It's been a very long time since I've gamed with Nelson and according to the man himself he hasn't played at all since the late 90s. That's a shame. Nelson always put the Action and Adventure into action-adventure gaming. He could always be counted on to have his PC swing on a chandelier or leap onto a moving horse. He kept things moving, always striving to push the narrative forward. 

Another custom started by an Elf in Mask named Jake (Blue Star) Topaz.

The oldest image of Jake Topaz that Nelson could find.

It dates back to the early-to-mid 80s

Art by Nelson Marty

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Barking Alien

31 Questions for Barking Alien - Question 10

My first late post for the month! That's pretty good actually. 

Question #10 comes to us from Timothy S. Brannan, a fellow who has been reading and responding to my posts here and elsewhere for quite a while. Really happy to have him supplying a question. And it's a doozy...

What was your introduction to RPGs like? What game(s) did you play and how did your growth change from that?

This is a story I've told before but I'm going to try and give it to you from a different perspective. Here goes...

On August 28th of 1977, an 8 year old Adam was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons through the Holmes Basic Box Set by 7 year old Thomas Zizzo. Being the go-to guy for any geek question ranging from a Phaser's settings to a Superhero's origin, there was no way I was going to pass on the opportunity to participate in a game Tom described as, "It's like playing out a comic book. You create a character, go on adventures, defeat villains, and save people!".

Now here's the rub...

It's interesting to me that in these very first moments you can see the seeds of what will follow. The game is framed like writing or creating a comic book, not like telling a story in a book, or playing some sort of wargame. Character, Adventure, Villains, and the act of Saving Civilians are a focus, while Killing Monsters and Gaining Treasure isn't mentioned at all. 

Right from the very beginning our frame of reference for running and playing D&D (and therefore roleplaying games in general as far as we knew) was not the literature that Gygax, Arneson, and the other early creators of the game had in mind. For us it was comic books, film, and television, including animation, that formed the basis of how we saw an RPG adventure or campaign unfolding. 

I only played that original campaign for about a dozen sessions and it wouldn't be until June of the following year that I got to play D&D again. This time I was made designated DM and the experience had me itching to stay on that side of the screen. Between 1978 and 1982 I would play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons and eventually a lot of Advanced D&D. I would also play and run a number of other games during this period, most notably a stint of Gamma World/Metamorphosis Alpha, a once-in-a-lifetime-lightning-in-a-bottle campaign of Boot Hill, and a session of Traveller that left me with a rather negative opinion of the game. 

One constant in this era of my time in the hobby was that the more I played D&D under other DMs, the more I disliked doing so. The game itself was starting to bug me but not nearly as much as the attitude of those who ran it. The AD&D players and DMs I met were so rigid, so antagonistic towards each other that I rapidly fell out of love with the game that got me into RPGs in the first place. 

My growth following 1982 was heavily influenced by the games I discovered, played, and ran but also, moreso, a desire not to do what those D&D gamers were doing. My goal was to do things differently and so far, its worked out pretty well. 

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Barking Alien

RPGaDay 2024 - Barking Alien Edition - Day 4

What makes a character in an RPG a hero? Have you ever seen a PC or NPC worthy of the title?

I've seen lots and I'm sure most of you have too. Hard to pick just one. In fact, most of the PCs run by my good friends David Concepcion, Keith Conroy, and certainly Selina Wong would more than qualify.

Today though, I'd like to tell the tale of a hero I've not mentioned before. To make things even more difficult for myself I want to avoid games where being a champion of true and justice is par for the course such as Superhero games, Star Trek, or Star Wars.

Hmm. OK, I got it! Let me set the scene...

Summer Camp, 1980. Six Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st Edition) adventurers levels 5 to 7 have been exploring The Ruins of Castle Fengest* in search of the fabled Ghost Sword of Apotrop**. Each intends on finding the sword and turning it over to the rightful heir in hopes of gaining a great reward. 

I am the Dungeonmaster. The party consists of:

Dwarf Fighter - Rightful heir promised to ally with Dwarves against Goblin Invaders.

Elf Fighter/Magic-User - Fulfill an oath to the original sword wielder to avenge their death. 

Halfling Thief - Earn enough riches to pay off family debt.

Human Druid - Secure a region of the heir's woods as a Druid Sanctuary.

Human Fighter - Earn his place as a Knight in service of the rightful heir.

Human Ranger - Rid the roads around the ruins of bandit attacks to ensure safe travel.***

The group is most of the way through the haunted ruins of the castle and things are tense. The Dwarf is dead, the Human Fighter (toughest PC they have) is really low on HP, and everyone has taken some damage. The Human Druid has revealed himself to be a coward and mostly self-interested. 

The party is at odds on what to do. Three want to turn back or at least find a 'safe' place to heal up and two want to keep going as they're sure the sword is close. The Dwarf's voice can sometimes be heard echoing the halls, spuring them on. Is it encouragement from their departed ally or a trick of the Ghost Lord of Fengest****? 

A rousing speech by the Human Ranger [and the rest of the group threatening the Druid with bodily harm] gets the team to continue forward. Their next encounter is a boon, defeating several very tough skeletons and gaining a couple of healing potions.  They don't help much but its better than nothing. 

Finally, after besting a riddle trap with the help of the Dwarf's spirit, the party comes face-to-phantom with the Ghost Lord of Fengest, wielding the Sword of Apotrop! Now, the team was up against some major obstacles:

The Ghost Lord could hit the PCs with his Ghost Touch (see below under Ghost Lord of Fengest****) or very solid sword but he was intangible and the PCs couldn't do the same. Only certain spells and magic weapons could hit him and most did little damage (see below as noted).

Anyone killed in the Ruins of Castle Fengest would become a disembodied spirit, trapped within its halls forever, such as the Dwarf, the magic sword's original owner (friend of our Elf), and all the adventurers who'd come before.

The Druid went full @$$&*%#, refusing to heal anyone but himself, barely helping, and mostly hiding. 

The entire team was still low on HP, Spells, and pretty desperate. 

The Human Fighter made a decision and asked the Elf to cover him. The Fighter then downed a Strength Potion and on his next action ran straight towards the Ghost Lord and tried to physically rend the Sword of Apotrop from its ghastly grip. Doing so allowed the Ghost Lord to touch him, draining away his lifeforce as he struggled to remove the sword from the spectre's hand. Finally he managed to pull it free and tossed it back to the Ranger as the Fighter collapsed to the ground. 

The Ranger lept forth and struck the Ghost Lord with the enchanted blade, doing massive damage! The Ghost Lord relatiated but the Sword of Apotrop gave the Ranger protection against the phantom warrior's attack (in the form of a saving throw bonus to take no effects). Everyone in the party (expect the Druid) forfeited their next moves so the Ranger could strike again. And strike he did, mightly and true, destroying the Ghost Lord once and for all! 

With the Ghost Lord gone, all the trapped souls were free. The party could see many of them passing upwards through the floors, walls, and ceilings toward the great beyond. The Ranger and the others gathered around the Human Fighter but it was too late. The brave hero managed to say, "Someone was going to die today. It was either me or all of you. Fair trade I'd say", and his spirit departed skyward as well. 

The team returned to the rightful heir with the sword and their was a great celebration. The Human Fighter was posthumously awarded Knighthood. A plaque with his name adorned the barracks of the City Guard. The heir become Duke and fulfilled all his promises...save one. The Druid was given no land in his woods and was banished from the province, never to set foot on the Duke's soil or stone lest he suffer the blade. 

David P's Human Fighter. A true hero in the truest sense. 

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Barking Alien

BONUS FEATURE: Day 3 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:

From medieval heroes to modern criminals...

I get bored with the art in most RPGs these days. There's a sameyness to a lot of it. Some games do have their own more individual look and I do like those particular RPGs as a result. ALIEN, Star Trek Adventures, and Tales of the Loop (a game specifically based on the artwork of Swedish painter Simon Stålenhag) are good examples though I do wish ALIEN and STA would change up their styles a little once in a while. 

One of my favorite RPGs with great art is the Japanese TRPG 'SATASUPE', Saturday Night Special, the Asian Punk Roleplaying Game which I've discussed on the blog in the past. Not only is the art cool but its unusual. It has that Japanese Anime/Manga look and yet it doesn't. It's got a street art, funky vibe that is perfect for the game.

While a handful of artists worked on the product, the lead illustrator most commonly associated with SATASUPE is Hayami Rasenjin. Rasenjin (a pen name) is a really interesting fellow (look into him some time) but what I want to focus on is that he's drawn for dozens and dozens of Japanese TRPGs. He wrote what would have been the first Dice Fiction game (but that's a story for another time) and was a playtester on many as well. He has been a major figure in the JTRPG scene.

Anyway, I love his art in SATASUPE. Here are some examples:

SATASUPE Cover Art

Current Edition

More talk about SATASUPE in the near future.

RPGaDay 2024 - Barking Alien Edition - Day 3

From my earliest days in the hobby I had a clear idea of what it meant to be a 'hero' and to create heroic tales. What I didn't understand was how everyone else claimed they too were playing heroes.

I started gaming in 1977 with Basic Dungeons and Dragons. It was introduced to me with the following phrase:

"It's like playing out a comic book. You create a character, go on adventures, defeat villains, and save people!"

At the 8 I was certain I knew what that meant and was excited to give the game a try. I loved comic books. I get to play a game where I create my own hero who fights evil-doers and protects the innocent? Where do I sign?

I also loved Star Trek, Star Wars, and other heroes of movies and television. My father was a policeman. The concept of a heroic character was ingrained into my mind, built upon the examples of Captain Kirk, Superman, Luke Skywalker, the Lone Ranger, and my dad.

We Can Be Heroes...Forever and Ever

We Can Be Heroes...Just for One Day

And so it was that I, and those I initially gamed with, had our characters fighting against evil, rescuing weak and helpless, and making our make believe world a better place. Our enemies were cruel, world-conquerring Clerics and their armies of the Undead, Foul Weather that resulted in floods and lost sailing ships, and the occaisional Legendary Monster bent on eating people in the peaceful village nearby. 

Then one day I had a strange experience...I played with other people. 

That's when I first learned the 'right way' to play D&D. Travel from town to town murdering any citizen who looked at you funny, steal their belongings, and go on to enter the underground homes of intelligent beings and yeah, kill them all too. Don't forget to loot their bodies! Finally, after all that, have the nerve to refer to yourself and your fellow sociopaths as 'heroes'. 

Fast forward to the present and I get it now. D&D, especially back then, was more of a game than a role-playing experience. The mechanics as written rewarded slaying monsters and finding gold as vital components of its mechanics. Additionally, the ideas presented were inspired by and extrapolated from the Fantasy literature popular in that era; the works of R.E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, Michael Moorcock, and of course J. R. R. Tolkien (though I'd argue the main protagonists of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are of quite a different make and model than those of the Conan, Lankhmar, or Eternal Champions books). 

Since we - my early gaming buddies and I - were not coming from that same literary background, we didn't take for granted a lot of the essential elements of D&D and other similar games of the time. We didn't kill anyone who didn't try to kill us and who could be subdued or, better yet, reasoned with. We didn't loot the bodies unless we knew they had something we needed (the key to freeing the kidnapped villagers, our weapons and communicators they'd taken earlier, etc.). Our D&D character were awarded gold and magic items by those whom we'd helped as a thank you for saving them. 

I'm sure it isn't surprising that as time moved on and the hobby expanded my friends and I largely moved away from games where unheroic actions were part and parcel of the setting or theme. The more we played Star Trek, Villains and Vigilantes, Star Wars, Champions, Mekton, Teenagers from Outer Space and others, the less we played and even thought about D&D. The closet we came to games the rewarded immoral behaviour was our occasional jaunts into Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, and a handful of others. Even there though, we often started as scoundrels and eventually turned ourselves around to do the right things for a greater good. 

Heroics are still integral to my games and I get a real rush when I see them.

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Barking Alien

BONUS FEATURE: Day 3 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:

There have been periods of my time in the RPG hobby when I would've said Star Wars D6 or some Superhero game was the one I'd played most often but that isn't true today. It is definitely Star Trek. From FASA's version to playtesting and writing for Last Unicorn Games' edition to my (presently) 8 year long Star Trek Adventures campaign, the final frontier reigns supreme. 

Superhero and Medieval Fantasy Character by combining AI with my own art and coloring. Female Starfleet Officer by Japanese artist Shunya Yamashita. 

RPGaDay 2024 - Barking Alien Edition - Day 2

I think I might have told this story before, long ago but what the heck...it's an excuse to post about one of my favorite old RPGs.

I didn't have enough money to purchase the first game I bought with my own money.

It was 1982, I was 13, and this was the first time I'd gone to New York City from Brooklyn without an adult. I was with a bunch of friends and we endeavoured to reach The Forbidden Planet, a Popculture/Sci-Fi/Fantasy super-store selling books, comics, toys, models, and of course RPGs. 

Reach it we did and there on the shelves, beside the Ampersand Game and its vast array of modules and supplements, was a box featuring a superhero and supervillain at odds. The bold colors and dynamic art was truly eyecatching.

As I do with all boxed set games, I turned the package over and over in my hands, reading the front, back, and every side. It was the back that go me really charged up. So charged up in fact, that I immediately ran over to my buddy Martin and showed him the box. I suggested we go 'halfsies', splitting the cost and sharing the contents. He was interested in it being a Superhero RPG but wasn't so sure...

I flipped the box over and in my best imitation of Ted Knight as narrator of the Superfriends cartoon voice, I did a dramatic reading of the image below.

After Martin stopped laughing, he said yes to picking up the game. We started playing it a week later and before long it became one of our most commonly played games. 

What made me buy it was pretty simple: It was the first Superhero game I ever came across at a time when I was really into DC and Marvel Comics. It was also the Golden Age of RPGs and any new game we discovered immediately inspired us. 

Up, up, and away!

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Barking Alien

BONUS FEATURE: Day 2 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:

The game I played most recently was our homebrew Hogwarts/Wizarding World game, now in its 6th or 7th year. This asks nothing else about it but I'll say it was fun but I rolled terribly. 

Next!