T&T Supplement: Cloudbusting - A T&T New Khazan Adventure

Cloudbusting
The Quest for Trollstar: Part 1
by Tom K. Loney
Published by Peryton Publishing

The first adventure for the T&T space adventure setting New Khazan (see Troll Hammer's review of New Khazan), has been released, available as a pdf at DriveThruRPG.com.

A massive, derelict ship has been discovered, and the PCs have been contracted to check it out, with the goal of salvage in mind. Tom takes us deep into the bowels of the drifting space hulk, with detailed descriptions of the huge rooms and chambers therein. Bristling with puzzles, challenges, and a few serious threats, this space romp should keep your PCs on their toes. As implied in the title, this is Part 1 of a string of adventures that will lead the PCs on a wild ride through the sectors of New Khazan in search of the fabled Trollstar, the homeworld of the 9,000 worlds of New Khazan. This promises to be quite the Space Epic!

Cloudbusting is written in a very open-ended fashion, with lots of detail but more than enough room for a GM to make this his own. There are no maps provided for the derelict ship, but the rich descriptions provide the GM with the materials and tools needed to create maps, if desired or needed.

The artwork by Mike Hartlieb is wonderful, very fitting for the setting, though I wish there was more!

Overall, a great space adventure that sets up for a grand campaign on an interstellar scale. If you're a fan of Tunnels & Trolls New Khazan, you must own this book.

Get your pdf copy at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=87642

Copyright © 2011, Paul Ingrassia

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 13

Creature Name: Loper
Monster Rating: 20
Combat Dice: 3d6+10
Special Damage: 1/1 - normal spite damage.
Special Abilities: Can move at same rate in mountainous areas as normal.

Description: Lopers are popular beasts of burden in mountianous regions that look like large kangaroos with the head, hair and mindset of mountain goats. Their splayed, clawed digits also mean they can climb almost as well as a humanoid, even when being ridden! Sometimes called Kangalopes for their resemblance to those animals, the Lopers sweet milk and ease of domestication make them especially popular. Some few specimens can be trained as Warlopers (MR of 40).

Written by Matthew Urquhart, Copyright 2011, themattjon@gmail.com

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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 #6: Fabled Worlds RPG System: Part 4

Spotlight On: Jeff Freels and his Fabled Worlds RPG System

Part 4 of 4: BEAN! The D2 RPG



“Grumlahk (Jeff Freels) is the Beangod. I'm signing up for a good spot in the new religion."
~ Ken St. Andre, The Trollgod, Creator of Tunnels & Trolls


The crown jewel of the FW line is the recently released BEAN!, a fantasy rpg that is simple and flexible, great for beginning gamers, and best of all: you get to toss your beans! The highly playable D2 Rules System, derived from the Fabled Worlds Core Rules, is a breakthrough in RPG simplicity, without sacrificing any of the fun.

BEAN! uses only three attributes and three character classes, yet the system still keeps a depth to it. Add the fact that a single, simple mechanic is used with just minor variation to determine all possible resolutions, and you quickly realize the rules set becomes almost invisible during play, leaving more time and energy to playing than reading or searching rules.

Wildly popular overnight, everyone is getting BEAN!ed! Shortly after the release of the core rules, two awesome freebies appeared: a GM adventure by Mike Holcomb and a solo adventure by Ken St. Andre, both available for download at the BEAN!page or DriveThruRPG.

Interview Part 4

Q: I know the core rules have a section on the origin of BEAN!, but would you like to share a brief version of its genesis for the benefit of those poor souls who do not yet own this game?

A: Sure thing. Rub some Vaseline on the lens and let's get into flashback mode. It all began with a comment on Trollhalla.com where Tog (John Stout) was talking about how he'd like to be able to play RPGs inconspicuously at work. He thought if there was a system that used beans rather than dice that he could get away with it. I think the likelihood of getting sacked for tossing beans in a corner is probably roughly equivalent to that of getting sacked for tossin' dice, but the idea still really resonated with me. Any single bean tossed has a 50% chance of coming up on either side, and I thought if we used a variable bean pool, scaled the game down for quick resolutions, and fast paced little adventures that it might be perfect. A few days later I had the rules mostly worked out and began play testing with my wife, niece, and nephew. BEAN was born!

Q: Tell us a bit of the meat-n-potatoes of BEAN!, what makes it tick, what makes it so simple?

A: At its core BEAN is a dice pool game, but uses beans (or any d2 ) rather than dice. The more beans you have in an Attribute the better your odds of success there. I wanted a game with very consistent rules so that people will never spend half a game reaching for the rule book to become "rules lawyers" arguing over tiny little details. The concepts are basic, and easily adaptable for whatever situations you'll find yourself in. The basic idea is that gaming should be fun and easy enough that you can spend your time actually playing the game!

Q: How does it feel to have BEAN! attract so much attention so quickly?

A: It kinda blows me away! I love the fact that so many people have seen how much fun this simple game can be. The game is encouraging others to tap into their own creativity and to share that with others, it's great!

Q: How about a few words about the freebies by Mike and Ken?

A: I really love the fact that people have had so much fun with BEAN that they wanted to offer their own adventures for others to have fun with too. Mike Holcomb sent me his "Princely Ransom" adventure, and generously said that I could do what I wanted with it. It's a really great little adventure with a variety of challenges. It's great for an introduction to RPGs in general, as well as a fun night's romp for seasoned players. My friend Ken St. Andre (an esteemed game designer for many years and creator of one of the best FRPGs: Tunnels & Trolls) liked the idea of BEAN and wrote an adventure called "Death Phrogg Attack". It's wonderfully silly and provides a variety of challenges such as fighting giant Death Phroggs, moral dilemmas, and a phish Takko challenge. After playing this mini-solo you'll have an idea how to tackle any challenge as a GM! These are both well written games, and I hope that by offering them as freebies they'll inspire others' creativity!

Q: OK, and my standard closing question, what does the future hold for BEAN!?

A: People are sharing their ideas for BEAN and I think with the Fabled Worlds Yahoo Group that you created people will be able to continue inspiring new ideas to keep the beans rollin'! I'm putting together a History of Beanworld book to give people ideas for settings and adventure seeds. I think BEAN is sprouting into something really cool, and there's really no reason it should stop growing.


Be sure to visit the BEANpage for more info, ordering details, and lots of cool freebies! Many thanks to Jeff for agreeing to be interviewed, it has been great fun, and I hope a good read.


Previous: Uncle Cucuy’s ¡Lucha Libre!


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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 © 2011, Paul Ingrassia

T&T 7.5 Creature Feature # 12

Creature Name: Fencats
MR: Lesser 40 – 100, Greater 75 - 180
Racial talent: Cleanliness

Lesser Fencats

Attribute modifiers:
ST: x ½
IQ: x ½
LK: x 1
CON: x 1
DX: x 2 (1)
CHR: x 3/2
SPD: x1
WIZ: x1

Description:
Fencats are, as their name implies, inhabitants of fens. They range in adult size from around 3’ to nearly 5’ in length (excluding their tails). Due to their short brown fur, they blend in well with their habitat, becoming nearly invisible when they want to, and they can detect the presence of most other creatures due to their sharp eyesight and hearing. Their eyes are generally green or gold, and their ears are tufted. They have sharp, retractile claws, strong jaws, and fangs that can rend flesh from bone in mere moments. When they move, they are swift and almost totally silent. Like most felines, they are very curious, and unlike their relatives, their hands are capable of manipulating objects as dexterously as a human can. They will collect items that attract their interest, including weapons and armour, but they do not use them in combat.

In most situations, fencats will be found in small family groups, usually numbering 2 adults and no more than 4 fenkittens. Occasionally several families will band together for protection or to hunt, but this is rare and short-lived. They are peaceful by nature, and will generally hide from hostile creatures rather than attack them. Adults will speak a pidgin form of the Common Tongue, if they can be coaxed into interaction. They will not speak their racial tongue in the presence of any other creatures

Despite their habitat, fencats are very clean creatures; unnaturally so, some would say. It is almost unheard of for a fencat to be seen even slightly dirty or disheveled, and they spend much of their kittenhood practicing grooming themselves, and learning how to braid the long fur that grows from their skulls into intricate patterns. While they appear to heal normally from injuries, they do not scar and their wounds somehow seem to enhance rather than detract from their appearance.

Greater Fencats

Attribute modifiers:
ST: x 3/2
IQ: x 1
LK: x 1
CON: x 1
DX: x 5/2 (1)
CHR: x 1
SPD: x 3/2
WIZ: x 1

Description:
Very rarely, a much larger fencat (anything up to 7’ long) will be seen. They are invariably alone, and are usually adventuring or searching for something. They speak the Common Tongue fluently, and as with the lesser fencats will not speak their racial language to outsiders. They will generally not wear armour heavier than greaves and vambraces, nor shields heavier than bucklers, and if they carry weapons they will also be light - daggers, chakrams, shuriken and bolas are most likely. It is rumoured that Greater Fencats may be capable of spell-casting; if so, they must do so as Rogues, as the Wizards’ Guild will not teach them. Beyond that, they are the same as Lesser Fencats.

Game effects

In fens or similar terrain, which is the only place they are likely to be encountered, a 5th level SR on IQ is required to notice a fencat for creatures that rely on sight or hearing, and a 4th level SR on IQ if scent is used. They will always make SRs to notice other creatures at 2 levels lower than normal. If a fencat attacks, it gets a free round of attack unless one of the SRs noted previously is made.

Fencats always get a DX SR to avoid becoming dirty, no matter how unlikely it may be (2). If you dropped a fencat into a swimming pool full of ink, it has a chance of emerging unstained. If it is possible to make the SR without using DARO (i.e. a roll of 12 or less is required), the fencat automatically succeeds; if DARO is necessary for the roll to succeed, any double rolled will also count as a success. If a fencat is unlucky enough to become dirty, it will find a quiet place if possible, and begin grooming. The dirt will be removed in D6 - 1 combat rounds, with a minimum of 1. CHR is halved until the fencat is clean again.

(1) The multiplier given is for combat and saving rolls, and for braiding their hair. For other manual tasks, the multiplier is x 1.
(2) If you lived in a swamp and had to clean yourself with your tongue, you’d get pretty good at staying clean too!


Written by Mahrundl of Trollhalla, Copyright 2011, www.trollhalla.com

Next: Get set for a wild ride!

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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 #5: Fabled Worlds RPG System: Part 3

Spotlight On: Jeff Freels and his Fabled Worlds RPG System

Part 3 of 4: Uncle Cucuy’s ¡Lucha Libre!



Uncle Cucuy’s ¡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. With a rules set only four pages long, you’ll have them read and memorized in minutes, and be playing faster than a flying Luchador! A character is created in seconds, and a match may be played in just a few minutes, making this an ideal lunch break or beer-and-pretzels game. The potential for character improvement allows for long-term play, and even some character development if one desires. The character sheets (neat little stand-up cards) even have a place for designing your own special Luchador mask.

Interview Part 3
(Plus TWO exciting announcements!)

Q: Where did the idea for Uncle Cucuy's ¡Lucha Libre! come from, are you a fan of Mexican wrestling?

A: Actually I believe it was Jack Black's Nacho Libre movie that planted the seed for ¡Uncle Cucuy's Lucha Libre!. It reminded me of the Mexican wrestling figures my wife's family would bring back from Mexico, and I thought it would be cool to have a quick little game that you could play for a few minutes or even a whole afternoon. My favorite Luchadores are the ones who seem to fly through the air and do all the amazing stunts.

Q: Do you have a favorite Luchador, real or imagined?

A: I think Santo is the Luchador who springs to mind. He embodied the idealism and honor of Mexican wrestling and really became his character. He wore his mask continually until his last days...and he fought zombies!

Q: You call ¡Lucha Libre! a dice game, do you not see it as an RPG? I know when my son and I play, we like to do a little acting, calling holds and attacks, and we even describe the results of our actions after the dice roll. What a blast we had the other night when two Rudos battled and a chair made its way into the match! Do you role play your bouts at all?

A: You're playing it the right way to be sure, but then that's how my wife and I play Monopoly too. If you're going to play a silly game you might as well go over the top and enjoy the spectacle of it! I didn't feel it was fair to call UCLL a true Role-Playing Game though because the rules are really only about dice challenges, a bit of strategy, and luck. It's more fun to get into character while playing, but as the rules stand now it's up to the players to bring personality to the game.

Q: Would you do me the honor of telling our readers about our project, the exciting first release from TROLL HAMMER PRESS?

A: I feel like I'm letting your cat outta the bag here! Paul was inspired by the flavor of UCLL and did some great research on the luchador culture. The product is ¡Luchas de Apuestas!, which gives some great insight into elements that players can bring into their games. It's a really inspiring little booklet, and we're offering it as a Freebie!

Q: Have you got any plans for expanding ¡Lucha Libre! further?

A: I was approached by another game designer who wanted to expand on my basic rules to add a more traditional role-playing component to build stories between matches and drive the characters to different settings. It's a fun idea, but we'll have to see how it develops as we both have a lot of other projects going.

Announcement # 1: Available NOW, for FREE, ¡Luchas de Apuestas!, the first supplement for UCLL:



You can download it from the files section of the (announcement # 2) NEW FABLED WORLDS YAHOO GROUP:



The Fabled Worlds Yahoo Group is a place to discuss and ask questions about the FW games, share ideas and house rules, upload files and photos, play online FW games by email or chat, or just plain hang out! You'll receive news and updates regarding future FW projects, and perhaps a freebie every now and again.

Join today (membership requires approval): http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/fabled_worlds/

The supplement is also available at RPGNow.

Order the Uncle Cucuy’s ¡Lucha Libre! core rulebook at lulu.com or at RPGNow.

Next: Fabled worlds Part4: BEAN!
Previous: Z-Town

~~~
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

Trollhalla Expands Its Borders

Ken St. Andre, creator of the Tunnels & Trolls game, and affectionately known as the Trollgod, has pushed the borders of his trollish kingdom, Trollhalla, to include a presence on the mega-popular Facebook social website.

While Trollhalla is 'members only' in its classic incarnation (although membership is simply a request away), Trollhalla Facebook is far more accessible to the casual player or curious gamer, as well as a potentially more interactive forum for the dedicated Trollhallan. The wall format is old hat to any member of Classic Trollhalla, and the built-in chat function at Facebook should probably spark some real time conversations.

The best part? You can bet if you hang out at Trollhalla Facebook, you'll get your chance to chit-chat with the Trollgod himself, Ken St. Andre!

Trollhalla, now in two flavors:

Trollhalla Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trollhalla/166805760026125
Classic Trollhalla: http://www.trollhalla.com/

LONG LIVE TROLLHALLA!
LONG LIVE TROLLGOD!
LONG LIVE TUNNELS & TROLLS!




can you feel the ugh?

Other P&P RPGs #4: Fabled Worlds RPG System: Part 2

Spotlight On: Jeff Freels and his Fabled Worlds RPG System

Part 2 of 4: Z-Town



Do you have what it takes to live through the night in Z-Town?

The first title in the Fabled Worlds series is a classic zombie romp. The rules lite, all-in-one-book game system is easy to learn, complete in only seven pages! The majority of the rest of the 72 pages are filled up with not one, but two complete solo adventures.

No spoilers here, but I’ll tell you, you just might end up on the menu in Z-Town. The first character I ran through Z-Town was toasted pretty quickly, but my second character survived both adventures.

The story was well written and fresh, lots of typical zombie fare, but infused with a few new surprises. Jeff’s location descriptions drew me in and helped me visualize my surroundings quite well. Overall, a fun pair of solos with a great, easy to use rules set.

Interview Part 2
Q: So what inspired you to create Z-Town, what were your major influences?

A: The story of Z-Town is a long and winding road of ghoulishness. I worked in a Haunted Attraction for several years and zombies just kinda get into your brain after awhile. I created The Year Of The Zombie Calendar as kind of a joke. It was a retro styled look at how the age of the good citizen might have responded to zombie outbreaks. The calendar had a bit of success, and some local film enthusiasts wanted to do a short film version of the writing featured in the calendar as their first project. That was a lot of fun, and the film appeared in several little film festivals. I created The Zombie Coloring & Activity Book, and shortly thereafter I wanted to write a solo role-playing adventure and it was suggested that I draw from the mythology of the zombie projects. Ziggurat Chemical Company was born, and Z-Town was a great way to break in my Fabled Worlds RPG system.

Q: What was your involvement with the ‘In The Event Of A Zombie Attack’ movie?

A: I was pretty involved. My wife did most of the make-up work and we were there for most of the filming. I stagger around as one of the zombies, and it was a lot of fun to help other actors develop their zombie walk. It was really amusing to see the actors struggling to get out the overly dramatic lines of psuedo scientific wackyness I'd written, but they all did a great job. 4d4 Films was learning as we went along and Will was amazing at building his own gear and learning how to do all the technical stuff.

Q: Do you have any plans to release more solos or any supplements for Z-Town?

A: I can't say for certain that I won't be hit with the sudden drive to write more doom an' gloom zombie apocalypse stuff, but if so that's probably a ways off.

Q: How about a multi-player version of the rules, maybe with more archetypes, a weapons chart, zombie creation rules, and other GM goodies?

A: That's a great idea. I suppose it would be kind of a toss up as to whether I should release the Fabled Worlds Core Rules, which would have everything you mentioned, or to do a dedicated zombie romp. If only there were more time in the day!


Order your copy of Z-Town in print or pdf today: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/z-town-solo-adventure-rpg-deluxe/3551674


Next: Fabled worlds Part3: ¡Lucha Libre!
Previous: Introduction

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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