Other P&P RPGs #3: Fabled Worlds RPG System: Part 1

Spotlight On: Jeff Freels and his Fabled Worlds RPG System

Part 1 of 4: Introduction

Fabled Worlds Role Playing Game System by Jeff Freels of Jeffwerx is a generic RPG system that Jeff uses to create and release ‘all-in-one’ game books based in various settings. Although the core system for Fabled Worlds has not been released on its own to date, there are three fantastic stand-alone titles available from FW: Z-Town, ¡Lucha Libre!, and BEAN! They are all short on rules and big on fun and playability.

Each title has its own setting and variation of the FW rules: Z-Town is a classic zombie apocalypse romp complete with two deadly solo adventures set in a town overtaken by a zombie horde; ¡Lucha Libre! is a quick, fast-paced dice game based on Mexican Wrestling, capable of a quick diversion or extended play, solo or multi-player; and the crown jewel of the FW line is the newly released BEAN!, a fantasy rpg that is simple and flexible, great for beginning gamers, and best of all: you get to toss your beans!

Who better to tell you about Fabled Worlds than the game creator, Jeff Freels, so lucky for us he agreed to an interview!

Interview Part 1
Q: Hi Jeff! How about an introduction, tell us all about yourself and your work.

A: Hello Paul! Well, I'm just the average blind cartoonist who spends his time drawing monsters, designing games, and playing uke.

Q: Tell us about the Fabled Worlds RPG System in general.

A: I wanted a rules-lite gaming system that put most of the emphasis on role-playing and storytelling. It was important that the mechanics be consistent, and that they work in any genre. The Fabled Worlds core rules have been tweaked slightly for each of the stand-alone releases as I've experimented with different kinds of games (modern zombie horror survival, Mexican Wrestling non RPG, and my favorite, BEAN!), but it's still essentially the same easy system. I think that's the coolest thing about the Fabled Worlds system, that with very little adjustment it can be the basis for any kind of game genre.

Q: Do you have plans to release the Fabled Worlds core rules?

A: I have a draft that's mostly done, and I would like to polish it up a bit before releasing it. The stand-alone games have also done quite a lot to help solidify and streamline various points of the core mechanics along the way. It's mostly a question of finding the time when I'm not illustrating Tunnels & Trolls stuff and working on BEAN!

Q: What future plans do you have for the Fabled Worlds games line?

A: BEAN! The D2 RPG is getting a lot of great attention lately, and I want to keep developing this. Several people, including Ken St. Andre and Mike Holcomb, have contributed adventures that I want to offer as cool little freebies on the BEANpage while I work on the next "Official Release".

Next: Fabled Worlds Part 2: Z-Town
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Other P&P RPGs covers current RPGs, generally small, independent releases, all-in-one rules sets, and/or freely available pdf copies. Do you have a rules set you would like to see discussed here? Submit a pdf copy to troll_hammer_press@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2010, Paul Ingrassia

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 11

Creature Name: Sickening Hornets
MR: 10
Combat Dice: 2d6+5
Combat Damage: none
Special abiliites: Sickening sting. If a player get stung they must make a Con SR lvl 2 or start hurling untill their next turn. After that they will make a Con SR lvl1 if they fail that they will hurl untill their next round. After that the sickening feeling leaves them.
Description: Sickening Hornets look just like a normal hornet, only larger, and are the size of a normal man's fist. They are mostly black with a black and yellow butt end like a bee. They usually occur in groups of 3-5.

Written by Arrdhann Trrelish, Copyright © 2010, glen4642000@yahoo.com

Next: A purr-fect new kindred!

Would you like to see your nasty beastie included in Creature Feature? Have you got a new kindred or creature you want to share with the world? Send submissions to troll_hammer_press@yahoo.com and include the words 'Creature Feature' in the subject line.

Other P&P RPGs #2: Zombie Death Town

Zombie Death Town
A solo role playing game book
By Charlie Fleming
Published by Rarr! I'm A Monster Publishing

With my recent excitement over the new AMC TV series 'The Walking Dead', I have slipped into zombie mode once again. To that end, I've hunted up a few zombie games to try out. Last night I gave Zombie Death Town a whirl.

In the tradition of Tunnels & Trolls and Fighting Fantasy, ZDT is a complete solo adventure in one book, including a very basic rules set. The rules comprise only two (actually 1 2/3) pages, and the only equipment needed to play are 3d6, pencil and paper. Ultra-simplistic, there are only three steps to character creation: 2 attributes (Hit Points and Combat Score) and a name (which is optional, according to the rules). Aside from character creation, the only other rules cover basic combat, weapons, and a few special combat rules.

The remaining nine pages contain the solo adventure. I don't want to spoil any surprises, so I'll just say the adventure is short, heavy on flavor text, and had enough excitement to keep me going. My character did not survive.

I wouldn't exactly call it an award winning game or solo, but for 2 bucks, it was worth the diversion, and I did enjoy playing it. There is also a set of multi-player rules for the mini-system, available for free. It basically mirrors the solo rules set, with the main addition being a weapons chart. It could make for a good night of zombie splatter fun, but there are no rules for character development or ongoing campaigns whatsoever, and no rules for situation resolutions other than combat. Basically, a hack-and-slash system for zombie apocalypse games, good for short, combat heavy adventures.

Both the solo and multi-player booklets may be found as pdfs at: http://www.rpgnow.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=3227

~~~
Other P&P RPGs covers current RPGs, generally small, independent releases, all-in-one rules sets, and/or freely available pdf copies. Do you have a rules set you would like to see discussed here? Submit a pdf copy to troll_hammer_press@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2010, Paul Ingrassia

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 10

Creature Name: Vampire Rat
Monster Rating: 9
Ability Modifiers: n/a
Combat Dice: 1d6+5
Special Damage: 1/1 Normal Spite Damage
Special Abilities: Blood Drain - Whenever a Vampire Rat attacks successfully, it attempts to lock its jaws into its prey. Defender must make a L1SR vs. Luck or the rat has locked on and will do an automatic three points blood drain damage per round until it or its victim is killed. The rat does this automatic damage instead of rolling for combat each round.
Description: Vampire rats are the result of a magical experiment gone wrong. They are the size of a small dog, black or brown in color, with the body of a rat and the head of a monkey. They have large human-like ears, and long, curved fangs. They are very rare, and prefer to live in forests or swamps, but can adapt to almost any temperate environment. They generally appear in groups of 2 - 6.


Concept by Paulie Ingrassia (9 years old), written by Paul Ingrassia (42 years old)

Next: This one will get you buzzed!

Copyright © 2010, Paul Ingrassia and Paul Ingrassia Jr.

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 9

Creature Name: Tumbleweed
Monster Rating: 20 to 95
Ability Modifiers: n/a
Combat Dice: 3+10 to 10+47
Special Damage: Ennui - Anyone run down by a tumbleweed must make a CHR saving roll of a level equal to the weed's MR. Failure means the victim is stricken with spiritual desolation and must make another SR to summon up the will to take any action at all. The effect lasts a number of combat rounds equal to the weed's dice without adds (in other words between 3 and 10).
Special Abilities:Rapid regrowth - Every 12 damage a tumbleweed contributes to its side's total in a fight restores 1 point to the weed's MR.
Description: Tumbleweeds are rootless, leafless plants that grow outward from a central node in a sphere of light brown twigs and shoots. New-grown weeds are about the size of a man's head, but with time and enough food they can grow to the size of a wagon wheel or even larger. They proliferate in dry, flat desert areas where they can use the wind to move across unobstructed plains in search of victims. Born out of the very despair and bleakness of the landscape, their food is the vital energy of any independently mobile creature unlucky enough to wander into their territory. The damage they do in combat leaves no visible outward sign; victims killed by tumbleweeds look like they have simply lost the will to go on, lay down and died.


Concept by Deborah Rice, written by Mark Krawec, Copyright © 2010, mkrawec@hotmail.com

Next: This one just sucks!

Other P&P RPGs #1: Backswords & Bucklers

Backswords & Bucklers
Adventuring in Gloriana's Britain
Book One: Basic Rules
By Christopher Cale
Published by Tied To A Kite

Backswords & Bucklers is based upon the Swords & Wizardry Whitebox Rules, but although born of the retro-clone genre, B&B evolves into its own game. This is Elizabethan Fantasy set in the Britain of Gloriana, quite different than your standard fantasy RPG filled with elves and dwarves and orcs.

Inspired by classic archetypes, the three character classes take a fresh, campaign specific flavor: Fighting Men, Scoundrels, and Wise Women/Cunning Men. Generally a low magic and no humanoid setting, with many throwbacks to that first of fantasy RPGs, including the six standard attributes, and a return to 1d6 damage for all weapons. Saving throws are class based, and each class has a single score to cover all possibilities, making the system easy to use.

The setting and flavor of the game is especially unique, with characters tavern trawling instead of dungeon delving. In essence, characters haunt their local tavern (the focal point of most games) in search of work, legitimate or otherwise. The different character types earn XP in different ways, specific to their archetypes, quite a nice touch for a scoundrel to earn XP by spending money! There are no monster lists, and it is encouraged that if monsters are used, they should be infrequent and quite terrifyingly evil, and supernatural in nature.

I think this setting shows a lot of potential for a good time role playing. I think adventures will be quite a challenge, both for the GM to write and the players to conquer. The book promises over half a dozen future supplements offering expanded rules, for those who want more than the basic all-in-one rules. The game being heavily inspired by Michael Moorcock's novel Gloriana, I found myself immediately going to Amazon and ordering a copy of the novel, which I have not yet read. I just may tackle writing an adventure for B&B after reading the novel.

Rounded off with a sample tavern, online resources, very nice character sheets, and a map of Old London, B&B stays rules lite, and complete in one book, my favorite type of game. Add the fact you can get a free pdf of it, and you can't go wrong.

ADDED 11/16: It occurs to me, Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane stories would also make for a rich alternate setting or source for adventure seeds for B&B. The period, as expressed by Howard, is correct, and Christopher's interpretation of the period fits the model pretty closely. Kane himself would be a Fighting Man archetype, his arms all found within B&Bs charts, and his monstrous foes are certainly terrifying and generally of a supernatural nature. Kane's world is generally low magic in terms of amount, but what magic does exist can be powerful. If you are into B&B, you MUST check out some of Howard's Solomon Kane stories, you will definitely find inspiration. If you are interested in a complete collection of the Kane tales, track down The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane.

Check out the Tied to a Kite homepage: http://tiedtoakite.com/

or go right to Lulu and order your print or free pdf copy right now: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/backswords-bucklers-book-one-basic-rules/11373923

I look forward to checking out the future supplements for B&B. Hopefully they will continue the simple, rules lite approach.

~~~
Other P&P RPGs will cover current RPGs, generally small, independent releases, all-in-one rules sets, and freely available pdf copies. Do you have a rules set you would like to see discussed here? Submit a pdf copy to troll_hammer_press@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2010, Paul Ingrassia

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 8

Creature name: Flail Fiend
MR: 60
Combat Dice: 7d6+30
Special Damage: 5/Flail Fury: if monster rolls 5 6s in one roll he gets an extra hit with each of his two flails for 1d6, which acts like spite damage.
Special abilities: Trip: can trip up to two characters at a time knocking them on their back. Disarm: can remove up to two weapons at a time characters having to beat a SRlvl1 for dex to keep hold of their weapon.
Description: This is a tall lanky red skinned fiend, usually 7ft tall, and about 130 pounds, appearing as skin and bones. They are completely covered in mail armor (even their feet), except for their head, which is bald with two small curved horns coming out from their forehead. They have an evil toothy smile with a long, wide, pointy black beard.


Written by Arrdhann Trrelish, Copyright © 2010, glen4642000@yahoo.com

Next: Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'!
~ ~ ~

Would you like to see your nasty beastie included in Creature Feature? Have you got a new kindred or creature you want to share with the world? Send submissions to troll_hammer_press@yahoo.com and include the words 'Creature Feature' in the subject line.