RPGaDay Challenge 2015 - Day 7

Hmmm. Now this is a good question.

I'm being totally serious here.

I don't remember when I first discovered the Free RPG resources the internet provides, but discover them I did, and I haven't regretted it one bit. I have a number of Free RPGs downloaded that I absolutely adore. Choosing a favorite is very difficult.

Among the best?

Doom and Cookies is a clever, simple RPG about children at an orphanage, and their desperate need to escape before doom comes to claim them. It's a bit of Oliver Twist, crossed with Lemony Snicket's, 'A Series of Unfortunate Events'. Definitely a great choice as a first RPG for both youngsters, and first time older players.

Risus. Ah, what can I say about this amazing game. Simple, sublime, brilliant. All true, yet an understatement to how great, and versatile this thing is. Created by the ever-so-inspiring S. John Ross, Risus is a generic RPG system with a distinctly fun feel, and it formed the basis of my own homebrewed Muppets RPG (though I eventually tweaked it to where I feel the Muppets game is kind of its own thing).

You know what...while it's on my mind...

Yeah! My own Jim Henson's The Muppets Role Playing Game! This completely unofficial, homebrewed RPG is so super fun that I am going to list it as a favorite free RPG. You think me egocentric? Well your opinion be damned! Play it and then decide.

Can't wait to update this baby when the new ABC prime time series comes out.

 

***

There are many more Free RPGs I could list, including Ryuutama (The Dragon's Egg - The Unedited Translation Edition is free), Extended Mission (which I modified - heavily), and many more. I highly recommend checking out the websites 1KM1KT, John Kim's Free RPGs on the Web, and of course The Free RPG Blog by Rob Lang.

Generally speaking, independent gaming publishers aside, it seems that many creative game designers are giving away better, and more interesting games than the larger pay-for-product companies are trying to sell.

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Barking Alien

Blue In The Face

The Anatomy of a Smurf...




Blue skin? Check.
Three apples high? Check.*
Says "Smurf" A LOT! Check.

OK, so here's the inside smurf on Smurfs...

I am imagining that Smurfs are a strange sort of Faerie folk, originating, like all fae, beyond the misty veil of dreams. They are brought into being by an ancient, mystical ritual that involves alchemy to some degree. If you'll notice, both Papa Smurf and Gargamel are usually creating potions or items to perform a good deal of their magic. Papa is definitely an herbalist as he often heals injured or sick Smurfs with leaves and ointments. Smurfette was made using blue clay, a recipe like spell and a cauldron.

This also explains Gargamel's sometimes fluctuating objectives...Sometimes he wants to eat them, some times he wants to use them to create a potion that turns things into gold and in the film he believes that creating an elixir out of their essence will make him a more powerful sorcerer.

What if he's right?

A mix of Earthly plants, ancient alchemy and Faerie magic, a Smurf is quite an unusual entity. Maybe a Smurfs' essence (or life force if you will) can be used to create a reliable Philosopher's Stone. Process the essence another way (same main ingredient, different recipe) and it can increase your magic powers or make you live forever (Immortality being another power attributed to the Philosopher's Stone). Eat them directly, while a crude method to be sure, and some of their essence must surely be transferred to the consumer.

Surely.

***

 

The base rules I am using here are my variant set for Faery's Tale Deluxe, which only seems apropos considering the subject matter.

So the stats remain Mind, Body and Spirit, with each starting at 2D (two six-sided dice) as per Blacksteel's suggestion. Coincidentally, that is the stat breakdown of a Brownie in Faery Tale Deluxe. Not too far off in my opinion.

The figured stat of Essence is simply perfect. A Smurf's 'Essence' is mentioned continuously. I use Essence as Life and the final resort to turn to when you've lost your 'Glamour' (my additional stat) in Faery's Tale Deluxe. But that doesn't quite work here. Instead, you have your SMURF (or Smurf Points if you prefer). When you want to do anything that will require a special effort, when you want to add extra effort to a mundane task or when you get hurt, you spend a point of SMURF.

Can you see it?

GM: "It looks like the damn is about to break. As the water begins spilling over the lip of the damn, the sound of stressed wood begins to echo in your ears."

Hefty: "I push against the damn and hold it so Handy can get to work fixing or bracing it."

GM: "You...hold back a river with hands the size of peas?"

Hefty: "You bet your smurf I do. I SMURF my Body roll."

GM: "Wow. Good luck you brave, crazy Smurf."

Now as far as Gifts (the magical abilities that faeries come with in FTD) go, here in the Smurfs RPG you get but one. It is one that is directly linked to your character's identifying trait. When performing an action, skill or whathaveyou that falls under this trait, you can perform it with no penalty and one success under normal conditions. You may need to spend a SMURF to perform it under unusual or dangerous conditions or to perform it at an abnormal level of quality. Spending three SMURF would enable you to perform almost magical effects or complete a normal task when plummeting toward the ground, avoiding eagle attacks, while on fire.

I intended on adding some additional info and game mechanics linked to Risus but as of now I can't decide exactly how I want to approach it. I'm going to think on it and get back to you all very soon.I highly recommend checking out Faery Tale Deluxe for the full details on the rules.I intend to do quite a bit of additional reading and research on the flora and fauna native to the region, as well as more stories from French faerie folklore. I've gone from screwing around with this crazy idea to actually wanting to run this. You'll see why soon enough... In a moment, we make a Smurf PC and look at the world of the Smurfs that lies beyond the Smurfs.

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Smurfing Smurf

*"Three Apples High" is a French colloquialism meaning very, very small. The American equivalent would be, "Knee high to a grasshopper." It was not intended to be an accurate measure of how tall they are. However...a number of fans have noted that Europeans crabapples are much smaller than their American cousins and if you stood three of them up on top of each other you would be pretty close to Smurf height.

Also, I just wanted to smurf that this RPG is a smurfy work of Smurf fan fiction and as such is not intended to smurf on any copyright or trademark of the those who hold such things for the Smurfs. This game is for smurfing fun only. It will not be sold and a will not make a single smurf off of it. If however, the powers that smurf want to smurf an official Smurf RPG, please smurf me at BARKINGALIENatGeeMailDOTcom.

Thanks for not suing the smurf out of me. :)

My Blue Heaven

Sorry it's taken me so long to continue with this post and the last but I am totally wiped out from work and what appear to be allergies. I've never really had serious hayfever or pollen allergies but damn if I am not feeling like they've joined forces and hit me with some kind of combo attack.

So...where were we? Ah, Grandpa, Nanny, Papa and what my theory on the nature of Smurf existence does for a Smurfs campaign...

Let's say it's the 8th century and a dark curse has been placed over this small kingdom nestled somewhere in the region of French Belgium.

A good natured wizard tries to summon forest spirits to counteract the black magic. Low and behold, fading into view in the morning mist is a village of mushroom cottages. In the moment it takes the old wizard to catch his breath at this wonderous site he thought might only be legend, a tiny, blue skinned man with a beard comes out of one house. This is Papa Smurf (actually Grandpa but Papa at the time).

Using his mystical powers and his keen insight into the true hearts of Humans, Papa determines this man and his plight worthy of help. He summons into being 99 near identical blue, male fellows with phrygian caps. The Smurfs.

The Smurfs and the Wizard have many exciting adventures but all too soon the village fades back into the mist.

This happens oft and again many times through the centuries. Sometimes a wizard will summon the Smurfs only to pass on or be felled by evil. Perhaps his apprentice can summon them. Indeed! But alas, his power is not strong enough the first time he tries and they fade too quickly.

Now I see Papa/Grandpa as a shrewd and adventurous fellow. What if he gives an allied mage the formula and incantation to create a female Smurf. Why? Papa/Grandpa knows their time on this Earth is limited (in a quite literal fashion) and he needs help raising the 99 Smurfs so that they can help fight the dark forces of the Cursed Land. This is my personal idea for the origin of Nanny. Grandpa wanted a Nanny Smurf and got someone to make one. Unfortunately, it's entirely possible this spell fell into the wrong hands and/or was lost. This is how Gargamel was able to create Smurfette.

Eventually, Papa/Grandpa discovers The Long Life Stone (called The Life Long Stone in some translations - I actually like that better), the magical crystal that maintains the Smurfs' long lives in the mortal world (time is different in Faerie), needs to be magically recharged. So, he officially takes the name Grandpa, dubs the most magically gifted of his Smurfs Papa (the Papa Smurf we all know and love) and he (Grandpa) leaves the village on his quest to empower the stone once more. Nanny follows him but gets lost, eventually becoming trapped in the enchanted Castle Captor.

The next time the village fades, Grandpa is no where near it (and neither is Nanny). Having walked beyond the Cursed Lands, Grandpa does not disappear when the Mushroom Village returns to the realm of the Fae.

The coming and going of the village is a great frustration to Papa Smurf. He wants his little Smurfs to learn and grow. Luckily, an encounter with a young knight-squire from the nearby kingdom and his court jester friend give Papa Smurf (and the Smurfs) a chance. Apparently, a magically flute, originally created by the Smurfs, has been stolen by a wicked rogue. The Smurfs need to create a new one to counter the originals effects. As told in, The Smurfs and The Magic Flute.

Now my thinking is that this was the first step toward weakening and eventually getting rid of the curse plaguing the Curse Lands. The more victories for good, the more good done, the weaker and less powerful the dark powers become.

So this makes a Smurf RPG campaign one part light-heart comedy in the smurfiest of Smurf traditions, one part classic Medieval Fantasy campaign and one part fairy tale/folklore game. Basically, it's Perfect!

I can easily see the PCs as being heretofore unheard of Smurfs sent on various missions by Papa Smurf, Grandpa or even other Smurfs who really need their help. Even various woodland creatures or other faeries or magical entities like Wood Nymphs, Mother Nature or Father Time.

Perhaps they are privy to the workings of the court of the local kingdom since they can easily sneak in to the castle undetected (or at least difficult to detect). Mix in a bit of real world history and you've got Ars Magica with Smurfs!

OK, next up - the actual game rules!

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Barking Smurf 

Bluer Than Blue

And so the story goes that when cartoonist Pierre' Culliford, who the world would come to know as 'Peyo', could not, for some reason or another, remember how to say “sel” (“salt”) while dining with a friend, he asked his companion to pass the "Schtroumpf".

Colloquially speaking, Culliford had what we in the USA would call a brainfart. He ended up pausing for a moment after saying, in his native French, "Can you please pass the..." and then searched in vain for the right word. Unable to find it he asked for "the thingie"* or "le schtroumpf". His dinner mate, Franquin, took the opportunity to mock and tease Culliford and replied (as translated into English), “Here’s the Schtroumpf. When you are done schtroumpfing, schtroumpf it back.” The two, on vacation together, shared a laugh and found a new game; for the rest of the weekend, they continued substituting “schtroumpf” and derivations thereof for various words.

Now Peyo was a cartoonist and one of his comics was Johan, the tale of a page in medieval times. In October of 1958, Johan and Pirlouit (Johan's trusty if comedic sidekick) encounter a strange, little blue man who leads them through the enchanted forest of The Cursed Lands** and into the hidden, mushroom village of his people. Needing a name for these faerie like creatures, Peyo dubbed them Schtroumpfs or in English...Smurfs.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The Schroumpfs/Smurfs were so popular in their first appearance that Peyo brought them back a few times until they received their own spin-off. A few books in and the Smurfs were a smash hit. Now distributed world wide and translated into dozens and dozens of languages, the Smurfs remain a favorite of childern and adults alike.

There are several interesting elements to note about the Smurfs that may not seem obvious at first. Canon information is in blue. My own ideas and interpretations are in white.

Their appearance resembles the faeries of various sorts but most notably early descriptions of pixies (more accurately the root term 'Pictsies', little Picts, which were often said to be blue).

The color actually came from Peyo's wife, who was at the time the colorist on many of his works. She felt green people would fade into the background as the Smurf stories mostly look place in the forest. Red would stand out too much and be too jarring. Yellow? Well, believe it or not, Yellow is considered an unlucky or unfavorable color to the French-Belgians. The only logically color left was blue.

Now lets take a look at the Smurfs themselves for a moment.

There are originally 99 Smurfs, plus Papa Smurf, all male.

Smurfette and Sassette (two of the three known female Smurfs) were created by means of magic and clay. The origin of the third female Smurf, Nanny, is unrevealed.

The Smurf Village, also known as the Mushroom Village, was originally located in a region called 'The Cursed Lands'. As time went on this was dropped and the dark forest began looking much more hospitable. Only the area around Gargamel's house was sometimes depicted as not as nice as the rest of the land.

The Smurf village is protected from discovery by an enchantment. The only way for a Human to find it is to be lead there by a Smurf, or be considered a trusted friend of the Smurfs.

The Smurfs are each 100 years old. Papa is 542 years old. Smurfette and Sassette are more recent creations. The Smurflings were normals Smurfs magically reduced in age (they count within the 99). Grandpa Smurf is twice the age of Papa Smurf. It is said he was Papa Smurf when Papa was a regular Smurf. Nanny's age is unknown but considered a contemporary of Grandpa. Lastly, Baby Smurf was brought to the village by Stork on the night of a rare Blue Moon.

So...many questions arise...

Why is Papa so much older than the rest? Where are the other Smurfs of his youth?

Likewise, if Grandpa is twice as old as Papa, well the same query applies.

Where did Nanny come from?

What was the curse of the Cursed Lands and is it still in effect? If they stopped calling it that and the place kept being illustrated nicer and nicer perhaps the curse faded. That would explain...Holy Smurf! I got it!

***

So there is a curse on this land nestled somewhere in middle-ages Belgium that makes it very difficult for magic or faerie folk of a good nature to exist. Black Magic, Dragons, Trolls and other nasty things do just fine (Peyo's Johan and Pirlouit - Peewit in the USA and England - featured such things).

There is a spell that can summon, for a time, a small village of magical creatures to help the caster do good. When the village is brought into existence it contains but a single, tiny, blue, bearded inhabitant. A Papa Smurf.

The Papa Smurf determines if the the caster's goals and intentions are good and just and if he feels they are he brings forth 99 additional, identical Smurfs. Over time, if any of these Smurfs show a strong interest or predisposition toward a particular emotion, mindset, occupation or hobby, they will be gifted with becoming 'that' Smurf. (Hefty, Handy, Brainy, Grouchy, etc.).

Problem is, as I imagine it, the curse of the Cursed Lands means the village won't exist indefinitely. Eventually, the village will fade back into the realm of Faerie. Now, let's say a Smurf was not at the village when it leaves this world? Well, it would seem they stay here. Grandpa Smurf was on a quest for a magic stone and far from the Cursed Land (when it disappeared?). Nanny was lost in an enchanted castle.

Now, if Papa Smurf and his era of Smurfs allied with Johan, Pirlouit and the good natured king of their kingdom, perhaps he made inroads that made more good than evil in the land and as such, the curse is lifting. Also, the originator of the curse was perhaps an ancestor of Gargamel and since Gargamel is such a lousy wizard, he hasn't the power to keep the curse going.

If the curse lifts and good faerie magic can return in ernest, then when the next blue moon appears in the night sky, a stork will bring a new baby Smurf, a great sign that evil is fading.

More to smurf,

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Smurfing Alien

* By 'thingie' I don't mean to imply that 'schroumpf' actually means thing. It is a purely nonsense word created by Peyo on the spur of the moment.

** It is interesting to note that 'The Curse Lands' of Johan and Pirlouit were fairly well worked out and make for a interesting setting in their own right. I don't know that too many fantasy RPG supplements focused on the cultural and geographic region of Belgium during the Middle Ages.

Considering the history of the country and it's connections to the Franks, the Dutch and many other groups, I think setting the Smurfs RPG in a magical medieval Belgium would be fascinating.

A Muppet Show Theme - Part 2

We're off to a good start and now have the beginnings of a basic template to follow for our adventure design based on the way a typical Muppet Show episode would run.

Cold Open Scene

Introduce the Guest Star. Possibly start the ball rolling on the episode's theme.

Muppet Show Opening

If someone is playing Gonzo ask him what happens when he blows the trumpet at the end.





Backstage Scene

We further the discussion of the theme, causing it to become more solidified and definitive. The MC's Player, getting by with a little help from his friends, determines the Opening Number.

Opening Number Sketch

Remember to vary your opening numbers. Some include the Guest Star and some don't. Most are musical numbers but it's not always the case.

Backstage Scene

Often a follow up to the opening number. Good place to start setting up where you want the episode's theme to go.From here you can go in almost any direction. More Backstage Scenes, some with the Guest Star and some with the various characters interacting with each other, additional Sketches, Musical Numbers, etc. How many of each will depend on how long you're playing for, how many players you have and what feels right for you. It may take an adventure or two to get a hang of the pattern that works best for you and your group.

For Sketches I recommend a mix of new and old. It's a great idea to come up with original stuff but make sure to throw in a few tried and true favorites from time to time like Muppet Labs, Pigs in Space, Bear on Patrol, Veterinarian's Hospital and the like. Maybe one of your new and original ones will catch on and become a reoccurring segment like those mentioned above.

 





Eventually, the episode's theme will have to come to a conclusion and it should, if at all possible, be really humorous and/or random and weird.

In the case of the story of body snatching aliens from the stars, perhaps they replace several of the lead characters by the end of the episode but Gonzo, Rizzo and Pepe were on to them and are ready to defeat them with some B-Movie weapon or hidden weakness ("The Aliens are vulnerable to soap! If we can get them all to bathe simultaneously...). At the end though, the aliens say they were just studying the Muppets so they could put on an identical show on their world. All they want to do is sing, dance, tell joke and entertain people (their homeworld is a real downer). This results in their joining the Guest Star and the Muppets in the Closing Number.

If you have a recording of the closing theme I recommend playing it at the end of the session. It's a nice accompaniment if, like my group and I, use tend to hang around for a bit and discuss how the session played out.


 


Much like the Muppet Show's first season (or the first season of many show actually), it may take time to figure out what works for you and your players and how to adjust the format to your liking.

Coming up in March Muppet Madness Month? Guest Stars, Optional Rules, ideas for campaigns that are NOT based around The Muppet Show and much, much, more!

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Barking Alien



Muppet Quotes

Kermit: Gonzo, I've got to go on stage. Don't say anything about this
The Great Gonzo: Gee, that won't be easy.
Kermit: Yeah, well it could disrupt the show. Just act normal.
The Great Gonzo: That won't be easy either.

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

Holy International Exposure! It seems either my Muppet Mindset mention or perhaps a link on a gaming blog has garnered me some attention half a world away. Two Polish blogs specializing in RPGs have mentioned my Muppets RPG project.

http://blog.setheo.pl/twoj-horror-wyglada-jak-muppet/
http://gryfabularne.blogspot.com/2011/03/muppets-role-playing-game.html

I was able to google translate the latter of the two and it appears the review is favorable. Dziekuje guys! See you on Ulica Sezamkowa (or as we say in the states, Sesame Street)!




 

A Muppet Show Theme - Part 1

Is everyone enjoying Muppet Madness Month so far? I hope so. I've got a lot more fun things in store for you.

Right now, let's go straight to the heart of playing a Muppets RPG. Once you've learned the rules, created a bunch of characters and gathered together with some snack foods and friends (which in the world of the Muppets could very well be the same thing), you're going to want to run an adventure. If the adventure works out, maybe you go so far as to make a campaign.

As Bobo the Bear once said, "Baby steps sir. Baby steps."





Let's make an adventure shall we?

The most basic but also the most versatile format for a Muppets adventure is to use the Muppet Show as a guide. There is a reason the series lasted 5 seasons and is remembered fondly by so many people. It worked. Later attempts to update or modernize the concept leave out the element of timelessness that made the Muppet Show so special, IMHO.





When generating a Muppet Show adventure the best way to go is with a theme. Theme Episodes, at least in the context of the Muppets RPG, are game sessions in which the session has a unifying motif or meta plot going on in addition to the essentially random array of crazy antics the Muppet characters are participating in. Often themes are related to the Guest Star.

In the episode featuring Vincent Price, a large majority of the scenes and sketches are horror, monster or ghostly themed in honor of Price.

When Lynda Carter was a guest, Scooter is inspired to purchase a mail order course on how to be a superhero. He and several other Muppets wear outlandish superhero motif costumes and make various attempts at developing superpowers.

Remember the example of play Fozzie created in which Gonzo is reading a tabloid newspaper about alien invaders? Let's revisit that with the idea of turning it into a full-fledged adventure.

The Director declares that for this adventure, the Guest Star is someone related to sci-fi movies, aliens or the like. I'll discuss Guest Stars in more detail this coming weekend but suffice to say the show could easily go with an extraterrestrial theme.

I recommend starting with a Cold Open...a sort of teaser before the real adventure starts. Maybe a few characters meet with the Guest Star and the first hints of the episode's theme is mentioned. I personally love having Scooter poke his head into the Star's dressing room with his famous. "15 seconds to curtain..." line. In our opening for this adventure/episode, Gonzo and Rizzo on in the Guest Star's dressing room. The three of them are discussing the possibility of life on other planets and the idea that they come here. The Guest Star shows Gonzo the newspaper 'Weekly Weird News Weekly'.

I would than do the show's opening...ideas for that include playing a video of it on youtube or from the DVD's, playing the theme music on your mp3 player, having everyone sing it or whatever. It gets everyone in the mood.

Next up you point to a player at random and say, "Let's set the Scene. Which Muppet are you performing and where are you?" For our example let's say the Director pointed at Gonzo's player who says he is continuing to play Gonzo.

Gonzo the Great is walking around backstage reading the paper. He is convinced alien doubles are walking among the populace of Earth. According to Rizzo's player, Rizzo agrees.


Rizzo: "I'm convinced. These blurry photos and nameless eyewitness accounts are veeery compelling."

All the players join in with characters declaring their particular take on the story when Kermit calls them to attention. According to Kermit's player Kermit does not only think the story is false and silly but he needs the group to clear out and make way for the opening number. Kermit's player decides, after a quick discussion with the group and the Director, that the opening number is a bunch of filthy, slimy, ugly Monsters singing 'Puttin' on the Ritz'.

Each player picks a Monster Muppet if they have one, Custom or Whatnot and we begin a sketch. The general goal is to sing the song. Big Mean Carl wants to be known as the best Monster singer on staff so he proceeds to try and eat the competition (all the other Monsters). Carl manages to defeat everyone, with Shakey Sanchez the last to go in his mouth (Big Mean Carl's player says 'Hold Your Applause' and uses his Swallow Hole Routine, complete with Exploding Die to get Shakey since he got a bit beaten up trying to eat the first few Monsters).With the Sketch over, the characters go backstage for a new scene. Kermit tells everyone they did a great job. Kermit is especially impressed by Carl and Shakey. The Director slips a note to Shakey Sanchez's player who chuckles, nods and says, "You can see Shakey in Carl's mouth. He looks unusually calm and serene."


Wait! Doesn't Shakey need to get and hold Applause before he can do that? No, because no action was taken. Shakey did not engage a Shtick, move to assist or counter another character, etc. It's a freebie.

Moments after the Monsters have cleared the backstage area, Shakey Sanchez runs up to Kermit apologizing for being late. He wonders if he missed the opening sketch. Kermit is confused. Shakey was in the opening. According to Shakey he couldn't have been. He had car trouble and just arrived.

Kermit: "But...you were just...Carl...What kind of car trouble."

Shakey: "We...well, ya' know. Th-the k-kind where everything st-stops working and a l-light comes from above and (looks around nervously) the car, ya'know, is lifting off the gr-ground and then you b-black out."

Minimum Fiasco: "I was abducted by aliens once."

Ernest: "No foolin' What was it like?"

Minimum: "I can't remember. But I do receive the loveliest card from them each year around the holidays."

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2!

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Barking Alien

Muppet Quotes

Miss Piggy: Midnight. The lone alien stands before a naked sky. The mood is tense. My hair looks *great.*

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

First, a Barking Alien shout out of thanks to Muppet Mindset for mentioning my Muppet Madness Month. If you haven't checked out Ryan's blog you should.

I intend to post an Appendix N (hmm...maybe it should be 'M' for Muppet) describing a variety of sources of info and influence that contributed to my Muppets RPG ideas.



 

This Is What We Call The Muppet Show

"Ladies and gentlemen it looks like we've come to the end of the rules portion of our program. Yes! But before we go on to the next part, let's have a big hand for our guest stars and all the members of the Muppet family who helped. I'm very happy to say we made it through this one with Minimum Fiasco."

"Glad to help Kermit."




"Minimum, we couldn't have done it without you. If there's anything we can do for you just let us know."

"Just don't hire that no account brother of mine, Maximum. Every time I've got to clean up his messes I die a little inside. Do you know how hard it is to get whipped cream out of a tuba?"

Crumbles face and nods)

"Sadly yes."

"Of course you do. Who am I talking to right? Heheh. Take care Kermit."

"All right then. So now..."

"Kermit? May I talk to you a moment?"




"Not now Gonzo I'm introducing the closing number for the rules segment."

"Well, that's just it. I wasn't in the rules segment at all. I mean, you and Fozzie, Piggy and even Big Mean Carl got to be in it. I'm a gamer. I want to be in it too."


"Gonzo look, I wasn't going to mention this but Adam and Barkley have something special planned for you later on in the month. Adam told me you're actually his favorite Muppet."

"Really? He said that?"

"He did."

"Wow. Sorry to interrupt. Carry on. I have to go find my cannon and oat meal vat dancing outfit. He'll want to see that..."

"OK. So now, our closing number...Routines. Yaaaaay!"

This is the last of the basic rules. Additional options and supplemental material will pop up from time to time but these should be the last of the rules you need to play.Routines

Routines are based on three ideas. The first is a way to have a weird sort of Relationship mechanic that reflects the teamwork and family camaraderie of the Muppets. Second, Muppet Logic as I call it, can often defy the natural laws of physics and create numerous surreal situations. Third, tried and true comedy routines are a staple of the Muppets style.

Combining the three ideas I've come up with the following...Hold Your Applause
As the other players and the Director are laughing at your antics you can tell them to 'Hold Their Applause'. Instead of receiving the Applause and recording them on your sheet you add an Exploding Die to your next action. You can then declare an action that is way outside the norm. Maybe it's eating an entire character whole, maybe it's still being about to talk, sing and dance inside a monster's stomach once eaten, maybe it's rearranging a friend's facial features, etc. The key is you need the Exploding Die and a friend, ally, enemy or whathaveyou with whom you share a Routine.


Miss Piggy can use the Exploding Die in a Karate Chop Routine with Kermit.

Waldorf and Statler can use the Exploding Die when a Heckling Routine with each other.

Most monsters can use the Swallow Whole Routine with smaller monsters.

Bunsen can use the Crazy Invention Routine with Beaker.

Now what is an Exploding Die? An Exploding Die means you take one of the dice in the next Shtick you're going to use and replace with one of a distinctly different appearance (a different color, bigger than the others, smaller than the others, etc.). When next you roll for the Shtick you include the Exploding Die. If the die comes up a '1' you rolls again and the result is not counted unless it's another '1'. In that case you lose the highest success you have on another die. If it comes up a '6' you roll again, adding any successful number to your total number of successes for that roll and roll the Exploding Die again. If it comes up '6', repeat the process. Continue until you have not rolled a '6'.

Note that you can spend Stars during this to add extra dice as normal.

If the results of your action produce Applause, Both participants in the Routine receive the Applause. Also, both characters put a check next to the Routine on their Character Sheet. If the Routine is successfully performed in three separate sessions it's a Regular Routine (sometimes called a Regular Bit) and Hold Your Applause is not necessary. Characters with a Regular Routine can therefore gain more Applause more quickly in theory and two characters benefit from it instead of one.

Can more than two characters be involved in a Routine? Possibly. It's an idea I've toyed with but haven't found a lot of evidence of it in the Muppets work. I leave that up to the individual directors to decide.

Remember to name your Routine and make sure both parties involved have it listed on their sheets.

OK. I think that's it. If there is anything I didn't cover that you think I should please feel free to let me know. Now I begin putting the PDF together and changing the focus of the posts to reflect what to do with this game now that you have it.

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Barking Alien

Muppet Quotes

Gonzo: Hey, Kermit, are you busy?
Kermit: Yes, Gonzo, but I can give you my ear for a minute.
Gonzo: What would I do with your ear?
Kermit: [exasperated] Van Gogh impressions.

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

The PDF may take a bit longer than I'd hoped as drawing the Muppet Workshop Design templates is quite a task. I'm a bit obsessive about these sorts of things and won't be happy unless I at least cover all the major character types (Frogs, Dogs, Pigs, Chickens, Bears, Frackles, Monsters (at least a few types), 'People', etc.).

Ideas that entered the rules at one point and were discarded:

Differentiating between hand and rod, live hand and full body costume Muppets.

Random generation of stats, species and other elements of character creation. May include some as option for all you random chart lovers out there.

Originally, instead of Hold Your Applause, character spend Stars on Routines. After using them in five sessions they didn't need to spend them anymore. Let me know which on you think is better. I still flip flop on this.

 

Why Don't We Get Things Started - Part 2

Scenes, Sketches and Skits

"Here to help me explain this part of the rules, which honestly aren't exactly rules at all, is my old pal and gaming buddy, the one and only, fantastic and furry Fozzie Bear!"





"Wow. Wokka Wokka! Yes! Yes I am here and I thank you for that introduction Adam. How can I help? Oh! Yes...the cue cards. Ok...When playing the Muppets RPG, time is not explained in rounds, turns and such but instead in scenes, sketches and skits. Ahhh! This is interesting!"

"Keep reading Fozzie."

"Oh yes sir. Sorry. OK, Scenes are basically any time between sketches or skits. They often frame sketches and skits, coming before or after them. They are the most likely times for Muppet character development and building any overall plot the session may have."

Right.

Sketches are sequences in which the Director or in some cases a Player Character (say, if you're playing a certain amphibian MC) declares a particular scenario is going into effect.

These are largely Staged scenarios and should last no longer than 30 minutes to 45 minutes real time (or more. If you have a lot of players it may be more reasonable to say an hour. YMMV.). There should be a goal to a sketch or at the very least a theme. If a sketch drags on too long, the Director is encouraged to make the situation within the sketch spin wildly out of control. After a few moments of chaos, ask the group to come to an agreement on how to end the sketch.

The only real reason to make these distinctions is to make it easier to explain how to run a Muppets RPG game and how long some of the effects in the game are designed to last.

"Fozzie, would you care to give us an example?"

"Me? I...this is so sudden. OK. You can do this bear. You can do it.

Ok, so a scene begins with the Player Characters all backstage. Um...Gonzo is reading a tabloid newspaper that says 'Alien Are Among Us'. The Director asks everyone what they think of the article. Gonzo and Rizzo are convinced by the article in the newspaper that aliens have been visiting for years and may be living among us in disguise. They start to worry that there are alien copies walking around the theatre. Kermit...he doesn't believe a word. He gets on the intercom and calls that first act up on stage."

"What do you think Kermit calls up as the opening act?"

"A song and dance number. Something funny. Grungy, slimy monsters sing 'Putting on The Ritz"."

"I love it. So now we would switch to a sketch. The sketch would be the musical number with monsters singing and dancing and possibly trying to eat each other."

"Ooh, oh. And one monster eats all the best singers so the only singer left is him."

"That's perfect Fozzie! If the monster..."

"Big Mean Carl."

"...OK, sure, Big Mean Carl, defeats the other monsters in conflicts and eats them, they are out of the game until the sketch is over. Of course if they can defeat Big Mean Carl, he's out of the game until the sketch is over."

"Righto."

"Um...you're not Fozzie."





"No I am not. Thank you!"

(Bows)A Skit is basically a really short sketch. It is really just a quick comedy routine of sorts that is (hopefully for the player who comes up with it) an easy way to get some extra applause. Often it's a sight gag or a simple running joke. Word plays and puns are particularly popular.

"Who are you calling a Mor-"

"Wait! I didn't say anything. I didn't use the lead in line."

"What? You didn't? I could've sworn...you mentioned a running gag and...well that's disappointing."

"Sorry Barkley. Stick around though. We're going to talk about Routines next."

"Sweet."

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Barking Alien

Muppet Quotes

Fozzie: (drinking champagne) You know, if you put enough sugar in this stuff, it tastes just like ginger ale.

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

Gah! In a hurry to get this out before I have to leave for the day but wanted to let you know we really are almost finished rules wise. Hopefully just one more post and we can get to the game running.

I'm writing up a blurb on this little project to send to the all-too-awesome blog 'Muppet Mindset' to hopefully be featured in an article there. That would be so cool! I'll love to know what Muppet fans who aren't gamers think of this idea.

See you soon.

Why Don't We Get Things Started - Part 1

Why? Because we're not quite done with the rules just yet. We need to cover a few more crucial factors. Among them, Conflict, Scenes and Sketches and Routines. I've brought in a few friends to help me so we can get this all squared away. Come on in gang...

First a quick note...

(Piano Key sound)

"What was that?"

"B-flat. But it's over now. Continue."

"Thanks Rowlf."

I have decided, based on an observation by Velaran, that I am going to call the action where a PC can spend 5 Stars and take over a scene 'Stealing The Show'. This is a cool sounding name and avoids confusion with the action 'Upstage'. Thanks Velaran!

Conflict


"The Muppens are no strangers to fighting, okay. There are times when jou got to show the other fellow who is boss, okay. Of course, I am a King Prawn and a lover not a fighter."

"Back in my old neighborhood in Brooklyn we knew how to handle ourselves. Fights came our way all the time and we had to take care of business."

"Really? What did jou do?"

"We hid. Sometimes we ran. We're rats."

Sometimes you just have to zap, smash, karate chop or eat the other guy to get your point across. In the universe the Muppets live in, that sometimes is fairly often.

To this end there are rules included for conflict. Some conflicts are of a physical nature but it is also possible to use these same rules and mechanics for getting heckled, a staring contest or anything else where two or more opponents are in direct confrontation.

At the beginning of any Conflict, determine if it is 'Staged' or 'Real'. Staged combat is part of the act, designed to make the scene more exciting and does no permanent damage of any kind. Most Muppet conflict is Staged. If Big Mean Carl eats Bean Bunny in the next sketch, Bean will still be around for the big finale. On the other hand, Real combat means that one opponent defeats another in the Muppet universe, not just in an entertaining skit. Of course, this being the Muppets, the character is not actually dead or permanently gone but is removed from the rest of the session. The character will reappear next session as if nothing happened.

So with Staged Conflict a character can be out for the rest of the scene, sketch or skit. In Real Conflict a character can be out for the rest of the session.

Remember the previous entries on the rules? End with no Stars for three consecutive sessions and they don't use that Muppet anymore right? Well if you are Upstaged too many times in Conflicts (in other words, you lose a battle against another PC) you may get retired.

So how does Conflict work? Like so...

To determine who gets to go first figure out which Shtick you are using to attack your opponent (both sides do this. At the begin of a conflict no one is considered to be defending. Both would start out attacking. If one character refuses to engage in a conflict then and only then would you use a defensive Shtick that's appropriate.). Whichever character has the higher rated Shtick goes first. If the Shticks are equal, roll them and see who gets the highest success(es).

As stated in my previous post, when two characters are in conflict the highest success wins out. Now in conflicts the difference between the more successful character and the less successful one is the damage the winner inflicts on the loser.

For Example:

Dr. Phil Van Neuter attempts to sedate Animal. Van Neuter sneaks up behind the wild drummer, or so he thinks and gets ready to give him a shot of 'Sleepy Juice'. Unfortunately for the doctor, Animal smells him and spins around.

Initiative...

Dr. Van Neuter has a Perform Unnecessary Experiments Shtick of 4.
Animal has a Eat Shtick of 4.

A Tie.

Rolling them out Van Neuter gets 1,3,3,4. Animals rolls 1,1,5,6. Animals wins the initiative and goes first.

Animals lounges at Van Neuter to bite his arm. He rolls his Eat and gets 2,2,3,6. Animal's dice are hot tonight. Van Neuter attempts to dodge with Absent Minded Professor Shtick of 3 (his player stretches the definition saying that at the last second Van Neuter turns sharply, uncertain if he left his fusion reactor running at home). Van Neuter is out of luck, rolling 1,2 and 2.

Since Animal rolled a 6 and Van Neuter's best was a 2, Animal gets to gnaw on the mad scientist's forearm for 4 Dice of Damage.

What 4 Dice of Damage means is that 4 Dice are taken away from an opponent's Shticks. While the idea here is similar to Risus, it's not necessary to only remove the dice from the Shtick being used in combat. I prefer to spread them out a bit. So in this case, Dr, Van Neuter would subtract -2 from his Absent Minded Professor and -2 from his Perform Unnecessary Experiments or -1 from four different Shticks or some other combination of 4. If a character has no dice in more than half his Shticks he is defeated. He is considered knocked out (or burnt to a crisp or eaten or blown up, etc.) for the rest of the scene or sketch.

Those are the basics of conflict. I may expand on them a bit later, especially as they relate to various acts of Muppet Logic and Physics.

Next Up: Scenes, Sketches and Skits with Fozzie Bear!

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Barking Alien

Muppet Quotes

Pepe: You tell him and I will smack you. I will smack you like a bad, bad donkey, okay!

Rizzo: I've gone way beyond afraid. Right now I'm somewhere between bedwetting and a near death experience.

Rowlf the Dog: You bet. I finish work, I go home, read a book, have a couple of beers, take myself for a walk and go to bed.

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

This is more work and attention than I have paid to a set of rules in years. Seriously. I intended to be done with the rules in the first 5-7 days of starting this project thinking that, a) there wouldn't need to be many rules and b) I really want to get to the fun part of explaining how to run a Muppets adventure or even a campaign. Then a funny thing happened. I recalled how much I like these rules. I think this is some of my best work mechanics wise. That's not saying much I guess since I'm a rules lite kind of guy but I like these rules because, well, they don't bore me. They're fun IMHO. They add to the atmosphere and feel of the game. Isn't that what rules for a game are supposed to do?

Rowlf makes a cameo here but trust me, we'll see more Rowlf coming up. I love Rowlf. I guess it's the dog lover in me but that guy is just awesome. I see him sitting at a table on Friday nights playing poker with Ben Grimm and Scotty from Star Trek. A couple of beers, some pizza...good times, good times.

It's Time to Raise The Curtain...Part 2

Applause and Star Power

Applause are very important to the Muppets. It's why they do what they do. It's not to receive the admiration of their fans, though that's part of it for some. Instead, applause let them know they've entertained the audience and made the world a little better because of it.

Each time a Player Character makes the other players and/or the Director laugh out loud, cheer, clap or otherwise make an obvious, outward show of being seriously entertained, the character's player marks of a 'Round of Applause' on his or her character sheet. Now I'm not talking a 'Tee Hee' snicker or "Nice Job" comment. You've got to make chocolate milk shoot out of my nose, get me 'whooping' like the Jerry Springer audience at an 'I'm Not The Mama' taping or something else that makes it clear that you made it worth my time to roll out of bed that morning and come to this game.

At the end of the game session you tally up how many Rounds of Applause you received. If you received 5, that is, you filled up all your Rounds of Applause, you add one Star to your Star Power.

If you received less than 5, you may convert the Applause into points for improving your character. Applause not spent disappear so you start each session with no Applause. Further specifics on PC improvement in a moment.

Star Power is powerful stuff. It's sort of like Hero Points or Force Points in other games but not exactly. Spending one Star does enable you to roll an additional die for your next action/use of a Shtick. You can spend as many as you want however, if you have 5 and use all 5 the effect is quite different. In addition to your bonus dice you essentially take over the scene. For the rest of the sequence (one scene or sketch as it were), the player that used all their Star Power is now The Director. You are in charge. You run the show.

I give you a word of caution however. You see, you are taking a gamble. Normally, any Stars spent during at game session are immediately replenished at the end of the session. There are two cases where this doesn't happen. The first is when you spend all your Star Power to take the reins and you don't end with a big finale. That is, if no one thought the scene ended awesomely or hysterically, at the end of the game session you gain back all your Stars but one. You lose a Star. Fame is fleeting.

The only other way this can happen is if you are Upstaged. If you spend Stars on a Shtick directly against another PC and they out do you in the scene anyway you were Upstaged and lose a Star.

Note that only Custom Muppets can do this. If a Whatnot has 5 Stars it can spend them to get 5 bonus dice but that's it. They can not take over a scene. Well...not exactly.

If 3 or more Whatnots all spend 5 at the same time they can take over a scene together. We've seen this happen on the Muppet Show numerous times where, for example, the Pigs or the Rats take over the show.

I'm sorry...But is that a cool idea or what?

"Wait! Hold on just one moment mister."

"Oh Hi Sam what's up?"

"Do not 'Hi Sam' and 'What is up' me. I am shocked. This is appalling. I leave you to tell people about the rules of your game and you give them Star Power and Applause?!? This is an outrage. Where are the charts of weapon speeds...the...the experience point to level lists? How am I supposed to know if my stats qualify me to be a warrior or a wizard or a bard."

"They're not needed. I mean...aren't all of you bards in a sense?"

"You sir are a weirdo."

Moving right along...

Now here's why Whatnots are cool to have as characters.

If your Custom Muppet PC has no stars for three consecutive sessions, the character is Retired. That's right...death for a Toon. You see, your just not that popular a character. We're going another way. It's not you it's us. I tried to fight for you goodness knows but the audience...yeah. Sorry Fleet Scribbler.

So why is it good to be a Whatnot? You can't die. You're not intended to be a main character or a star and as such you don't need to maintain Star Power to stay around. You can benefit from it but not to the extent of a beloved TV or movie celebrity. Note however that you can spend 5 Stars at once and become a Custom Muppet. You get to redesign your look, choose three permanent Shticks to replace your temporary ones and begin anew with one Star in Star Power and therefore a Costume slot.
 
'll leave you, for now, with Character Improvement, then return soon with combat and some final notes on the rules. I'm really eager to get into the next phase of this month's theme with adventure ideas, running a campaign and other fun stuff.

Character Improvement couldn't be simpler. If it could it would be and if it does become simpler, that is, if I figure out how to simplify it even more, I'll probably use that idea in the Sesame Street variant rules. Basically, as previously mentioned, if you fill up all five Rounds of Applause on your character sheet you get a Star. If you only have four marked off at the end of the session, those become 4 Points to improve your Shticks. The cost is 1 for 1 so if you have 'Gargling Gershwin' at 5 and you apply 4 points you have it at 9. Be careful. It seems like you'd go up fast but that's not really the case. You are never going to get more than 4 Applause points at one time for use in this way so it really makes more sense to spread them out. Remember Applause disappear at the end of the game and can't be saved. You always start a new session with 0 Applause.

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Barking Alien

Muppet Quotes

Gonzo: Hilda, Hilda. Could I ask a great big favor?
Hilda: Oh, Gonzo, I'm very busy right now!
Gonzo: Oh, but I brought my Teddy Bear in just especially for you to repair.
Hilda: Gonzo, aren't you a little old to carry around a teddy bear?
Gonzo: Really? You think I'm emotionally mature enough to move up to a Raggedy Anne?

Here's A Muppet News Flash!

Fleet Scribbler is a gossip journalist for "The Daily Scandal" who sometimes reports on the goings-on at The Muppet Show. He was an aweful and abrasive character designed to be included in the regular cast but as created was unpopular among the writers, performers and fans. He was discontinued after only 2 or 3 appearances.

It's Time to Raise The Curtain...Part 1

"Greetings to you Mr. and Mrs. America and our allies overseas, lesser though you are. I am Sam the Eagle and it is my great honor to finally introduce the entries to this Muppets Role Playing Game Project that actually involve good old-fashioned rules.

I am a long time and dedicated fan of rules. Rules make the world go around if I may be so bold. And I may be so bold because I am, after all, an American. So enough with the sick and weird notions such as drawing your character to create it and having 'Shticks' and 'Props' and other silliness. Let's get out those slide rules and chits and play a real game.

Thank you."


Um...thank you Sam.

He may end up a bit disappointed.

Some, if not most, of the ideas in this section are a long time coming.

I first developed some of these rules as far back as 1984 for use with Toon. Later I would modify, adapt and add new ideas of a similar nature to Teenagers from Outer Space and other comedy games. Eventually these concepts or variants of them found their way into my Galaxy Quest RPG and of course, my Muppets RPG.

I found that one of the key elements missing from most comedy games was that for a game about comedy you never really see mechanics rewarding players for bringing the funny. For serious gamers, you cannot die or suffer any permanent penalty in most comedic games so it lessens the interest in long term play.

For the Muppets to really work as a game I needed it to be able to make up for the last of both of those elements. Only you the viewers can determine if I succeeded.

So here are the basics...

Basics

When you want to use a Shtick you roll the number of 6 Sided dice equal to your Shtick's score and try to get a least one success. A success is the difficulty number for the task or better (higher) on a die. The Director determines what the difficulty of a given action is. For the most part a good guide line is...

Easy - 3
Tricky - 4
Tough - 5
Hard - 6

The Director may require you to make more than one success. Imagine if you were trying to do something fairly simple, like unlock the supply closet and get in before the horde of zombie vegetables find you and attack. Not too hard. One '3' or better should do the trick. Now if Pepe was with you and loudly declaring how he could 'Take out each and every Brussel Sprout all by myself, hokay', you might need to roll at least two '3' to get the same job done.

For each additional success over what is needed, the Director is encouraged to embellish on how well you did. Do too well and it can backfire on you a bit. It you receive triple or more over the number of required successes, the Director show have the effect of your good fortune become a bit overwhelming.

For example:

On the space ship Swinetrek, Dr. Julius Strangepork have invented the Scentotronic Transmogifier, a device capable of giving anything any smell you want. Miss Piggy sneaks over and programs the machine to make her smell like Dragonfly Ripple Ice Cream (Ah-Yuck-ah), Kermit's favorite flavor. She rolls the dice for her Romantic Strategies Shtick and gets four 6's! It works and when she gets backstage Kermit just can't seem to help himself. He can't get enough of hanging around Miss Piggy. Neither can any of the other frogs on the show. And a number of birds. A lizard or two. Arnie the Alligator is looking kind of interested...

If you are engaged in an action that is contested by another character, be it a PC or NPC, things work a bit differently but not by much. In that case each participant in the contest roles their appropriate Shtick dice with the 'difficulty' set by whomever rolls the highest number. So, if Fozzie gets three 3's and Waldorf gets two 6's the old coot wins because 6 is higher than 3. If on the other hand Fozzie rolls four 6's and Waldorf only two, Fozzie wins. In a combat situation, whether it be verbal, physical, mental or whathaveyou, the Defender sets the difficulty that the attacker has to beat it. If the Swedish Chef is trying to chop a Turkey with a Meat Cleaver and the Turkey rolls one 5 among his dice to escape, the Chef rolling five 2's still misses. The Turkey (Defender) set the difficulty at 5.

Whenever there is a tie, whichever character have the most Stars wins. If that is also equal check who has the most applause up to that point. If that is also equal roll one more die until you get a tiebreaker.

If no successes are rolled during a normal instance of Shtick use something really bad/embarrassing/stupid/unlucky or generally chaotic should occur. Director's discretion of course.
OK, here comes the genius...I hope.

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Barking Alien


Muppet Quotes

Kermit the Frog: We will also see a rousing finale from Sam the Eagle. What's it called, Sam?
Sam the Eagle: It's called "A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America".


Here's A Muppet News Flash!

I am not entirely sure how to host the PDF version of the rules on my blog! Gah! I need a free, reliable PDF hosting site someone has actually used. Please let me know if you have any info or leads.

Originally I really wanted to use the One Role Engine for the basic game mechanic of my Muppets RPG but I think I like the simple elegance of what I have here. When I get into Combat and Damage it is kinda, sorta similar to ORE meets Risus I suppose.