#RPGaDAY2017: Day Two - What is an RPG you would like to see published?

This is another I don't know. I don't pay much attention to stuff like this, relying on my friends to find stuff out - but I have been intrigued by Michael Wenman's The Law  project.

It's got a real Judge Dredd feel to it, which I like. Both my Dad and my Husbit are fans of the comics; my first exposure was a crossover with the band Placebo free with an edition of Kerrang! but I really enjoyed the Karl Urban film and Husbit's subscribed to 'The Mega Collection', so I'm learning more and like the setting and would like a game there.

The Law has the feel of Dredd, while having little quirks that make it its own thing, and the format of the rulesbook in comic strip form si brilliant. I've been enjoying watching it shape, the themes, the art and the rules.

And here's the problem with doing these in advance: it's now available as a pdf.
 

~~~

RPGaDAY was started by Dave Chapman and is currently curated by RPG Brigade. To join in yourself, follow the questions in the graphic and blog, vlog, tweet, or otherwise share your responses with the hashtag RPGaDAY2017.

#RPGaDAY2017: Day One - What Published RPG Do You Wish You Were Playing Right Now?

It's that time of year again! I'm going to try to post an answer on time each day this year, but this requires prepping them in advance and I've been really ill and really busy so have started way later than I intended, so it may not happen... 

This is probably intended to be a simple one to ease us in to the new season, but I don't have an easy answer for this. I'm really enjoying the games I'm in at the moment - Deadlands and Exalted, with Aberrant and Pathfinder being recent campaigns with unfinished business, and the rumour of some Mage on the horizon. And then I'm looking ahead, because the games that I might mention are likely to come up on days 11 and 17 (maybe 15 and 16 as well).

Right now while I'm writing this, I'm looking forward to our Deadlands game this evening.

It's an exciting campaign, and I promise I will get around to writing more of it up once real life stress eases off. I'm playing Solomon, a young woman raised in a Christian orphanage for boys (you can read her background here and her starting stats here). The rest of the party are Chin, an American-born child of Chinese immigrants and a martial artist; Tesla, an electricity-focused mad scientist, son of a wealthy English family who's come to the States to try and meet his namesake... And Carson, a huxter who seems to see himself as damned, and intends to save as many of us as he can before he goes.

Since I posted her stats, Husbit realised we'd be spending a lot of time in Chinese-speakings parts and (at the time) we had no Chinese-speakers, so he allowed us to take Chinese at a d4 in exchange for a minor hindrance - I took loyal, which pairs up nicely with Carson's big damn hero (or whatever the hindrance is actually called), and means the two are quite close. She's devoutly Christian and tries to save him, but he doesn't want her to: he's not let much slip in character, but she's learnt he doesn't have much time for Christianity, but not because he doesn't believe - maybe because he knows it's true. Out of character, they actually have fairly similar backgrounds, being raised in Christian orphanages, so it's kinda nice that they're close.

Tesla's mad science does stand him apart from the rest of us, but does lead to lighthearted moments, such as the invention of 'stealth healing', because his healing powers are so terrifying we're generally reluctant to let him near us...

Chin is newest to the party, replacing the gunslinger, Steve, who got a bit blown up and drowned. 

We're playing in the Savage Worlds reboot of Deadlands, currently working through The Flood. I'm really enjoying it: the system is simple and fluid, especially in combat (we recently had a one-shot Pathfinder session and I think we were all taken by surprise how long combat took, having been spoiled by Savage Worlds). Husbit runs Deadlands really well, taking the themes and hints in the source material and running with them to create something that's ours (have you checked out the version of Coffin Rock he ran? I've not read the actual scenario, but understand he ... played with it).

 I just put the question - what rpg do you wish you were playing right now - to Husbit, and he said he wished he were playing, not just running, Deadlands. Take that as a recommendation from both of us, then. If you like your system simple, your wild west weird and your steampunk laced with horror, this is the game for you!

Of course... by the time this actually goes live, we'll have played that Deadlands session and I'll be looking forward to Exalted instead!

~~~

RPGaDAY was started by Dave Chapman and is currently curated by RPG Brigade. To join in yourself, follow the questions in the graphic and blog, vlog, tweet, or otherwise share your responses with the hashtag RPGaDAY2017.

FictionFriday - Waking in the Night

His breathing tickles the hairs on the back of my neck again. The warmth of it, so comfortable, so familiar. 

Something isn’t right. I lie there, still as a stalking cat, the weight of his arm a comfort against the fear and yet not dispelling it. Not entirely.

It’s that nagging feeling like you’ve left the back door open or forgotten to take the laundry in or something equally mundane. Something important has slipped my attention and I don’t know what it could be. My breathing quick and cautious, his slow and deep.

I do ache. So alert now, I am aware of it. All over my body, like I’ve danced too much. No, that’s not right. Across my gut, like I’m hungry. No. Not a physical ache. More an anguish. My eyes feel fuzzy, and my brain behind them. There is a spider’s web around my head, the familiar tautness of a headache. Like I’ve been crying too much.

I did cry myself to sleep, I remember as he rolls over with a slight snort and his arm slips off me. I snuggle closer, wanting his comfort. Very afraid now, yet not sure why. A frozen rabbit. There’s no reason for this. Eyes wide like a fruit bat. He moves further away; I chase. A sudden bolt of anger unfurls, shivers through me like a snake; filling me like the veins of a leaf. So many nights I have woken and so many nights he has slept through my fear and I have accepted this to let him sleep. Not this time. Tonight I want comfort.

He sighs, relents, an arm back over me. A soft feeling over me, a kitten’s purr in my chest. The arm moves, slips under the cover and caressingly returns to my naked stomach – skin on skin. I realise he’s awake. Or part awake. It’s enough. I am still again but it is not fear or alertness that pins me this time. Now it is anticipation. And sure enough, that arm – cool against my duvet-warmed body – pulls me closer so his warm, warm lips can nibble at my ear. His breathing is cautious now, mine calm. I pretend to sleep but the insistence of his body soon overcomes my charade. A pouncing lioness, I roll over and run my fingers through his mane. Hungry kisses and we soar like albatross.

I know this dance. It ends and leaves me peaceful. Nagging doubts dismissed by love. I sleep.

I wake. The warmth of his body lingers. 

But his toothbrush has  gone and my tears return.

~~~

'Fiction Friday' was started by +Icarus Anne Riley over on her blog. I liked the idea and am nicking it with her blessing - feel free to do the same. We'll take over the world!

Kally Hopebringer - Pathfinder Cleric of Iomedae

Our Pathfinder (and Aberrant/Exalted) GM has a birthday coming up (happy birthday Rich!) and to celebrate he's running a one-shot set in the world of our other Pathfinder games, but after our other characters have had to leave - the main party to fight in the War Wound and the secondary group having gone off to the Starstone Trial. It's a "possible ending" situation, where the demons won and have burst from the War Wound, sweeping across Golarion. We're playing a team dedicated to the service of Iomedae, members of the 'Knights of Ozem', sent out on various missions to try and slow their progression. 3 humans and the angelic equivalent of a tiefling, whose racial name eludes me right now. He's the only one old enough to remember a world before demons, and is played by my Aberrant/Exalted fellow, so we've decided to give our characters a closer connection than the others - we're really enjoying playing twins in Exalted. Here's my character. 

Kally, aka 'Kally Hopebringer', Lawful Good Cleric of Iomedae (level 16), Mythic Heirophant (tier 4)
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 32, Cha 21
Skills: Appraise 2(8), Diplomacy 3(12), Heal 5(20), Knowledge arcana 2(8), history 2(8), planes 3(9), religion 16(22), Linguistics 1(7), Perception 16(28), Ride 5(6), Sense Motive 1(16), Spellcraft 16(22), Stealth 3(4), Survival 2(14), Swim 2(5), Use Magic Device 1(7)
Feats: Armour proficiency (light, medium, heavy), Combat casting, Combat expertise, Divine protection, Legacy of Ozem, Mythic Spell Lore (x2), Protective channel, Shield proficiency, Simple weapon proficiency (all), Solar spell, Warrior priest, Weapon focus (longsword)
Traits: Beacon of faith, Ozem-inspired
Gear: +5 mithral heavy steel shield, +5 mithral full plate (am loving no arcane spell failure!), +1 holy undead-bane impact living steel long sword, type 2 bag of holding, belt of physical might (con/str) +2, cloak of resistance +5, golden holy symbol, headband of mental prowess (wis/cha) +4, dusty rose and pale green ioun stones with a 'wayfinder of the planes', a bunch of adventuring gear and a diamond worth 10,000GP (just in case someone dies...)
-- sorry for not going into more detail on any of the above, but it's late and I've just got back from circus and want a bath but wanted to finish this first. I might add links later, or I might leave you to look it all up ;-)
-- Rolled for hp and ended up with 190, which is insane!

Background
Kally doesn't remember much about her early childhood - snatches of sunshine and laughter, fear and hunger, but not even her full name ('Kally' was what people called her, and 'Hopebringer' is a name she's given herself, a promise to live up to). She grew up in an isolated village well loved by her family, but had visions - vacant seizures in which Iomedae would talk to her. No one in her village doubted it - her warnings had protected them from demon attack more than once. And so no one was surprised the day the tall, gold-bronze-skinned, gold haired man showed up. He was a paladin in the service of Iomedae, and on meeting Kally and realising she was the real deal, Sanrin Pavi knew he had to take her with him where she could be trained properly. Her parents and the villagers were reluctant to let her go, but Sanrin's huge wings and angelic bearing made it hard for them to argue. Also the demons he'd slaughtered on his way there. He pointed them in a safe(ish) direction and swore to raise, love and protect Kally as he would his own child, and that was that. She never looked back, but assumes her parents and brothers are still alive. Now 24, Sanrin and the order is the only family she feels she needs.

Character A-Z: A is for Alanna

Alanna of Trebond, from The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce

This was a series I read in my early teens and adored, and worry about rereading because I don't think it'll live up to my memories. Because I loved Alanna and I suspect the books aren't as well written as I'd prefer, and when I got the above image from Goodreads I discovered I'd forgotten a lot of the story and she didn't marry the person I thought...

So backing up a bit! Alanna is a red-headed, purple-eyed teenager who's being sent off to the convent to learn to be a young lady... Meanwhile her twin brother Thom is meant to be sent off to train to be a knight. The thing is, she wants to be a knight and is much better at riding, running and fighting than he is. He wants to be a sorceror, which conveniently enough means going to the convent. They look very alike, so convince the master-at-arms travelling with them to help them switch places and forge letters from their father. And shenanigans and danger ensues.

The story focuses on Alanna in a setting where it makes sense that she's basically the only girl: she has to pretend to be a boy ('Alan') because women aren't allowed to be knights. (That's why I don't mind that Thom wants to be a sorceror rather than a lady: sorcerors being trained in the same place always felt a bit lazy, but him being a lady would change that focus.) It was satisfying to read a story where there was a real reason why she was the only girl.

The storyline isn't great, but she's fierce and determined and has the courage to do what she wants, something I envied.

Character A-Z

I really enjoyed writing the 'Musical A-Z' I did a while ago: I enjoyed having some structure, and loved finding and rediscovering (sometimes slightly embarassing) songs to share. They were also low-energy posts, something I could work on when my mental energy reserves were lowered - and having that alphabet format helped by taking some of the effort away from thinking about what I was going to write. I didn't realise how much benefit the alphabet format helped until I tried using 'inspirational people' as a topic for low-energy posts, but it really didn't work.

There's two characters in particular who inspire me to the point I keep mentally drafting posts to explain my relationship with them: Maddy Magellan, Jonathon Creek's sidekick in the first 3 series, and Magrat Garlick, witch of Lancre in the Discworld. I was thinking about doing an A-Z of fictional characters I love and realised they're both M's (figuring I'll count the initial of the name the character is most often known by), so now I have a dilemma: I was going to have a post dedicated to a single character for each letter, and have the pool of characters to be drawn from TV, film, books, games and everywhere else fictional characters gather. Do I stick to that, or do I do a separate A-Z for each genre (thinking screen, paper and misc, allowing up to 3 characters for each letter), or do I do multiple posts for letters where I have multiple options? I'm leaning to that last, but then do I roll through the alphabet and start again, or do I stay with a letter til I've covered everyone? The first option would make it easier to cover someone I've missed, but the second means I don't have to decide between Maddy and Magrat the first time through... It also helps hide the fact there are some letters I can think of far more characters for than others. 

I'm not sure. Everytime I decide to do it one way, I change my mind. What do you guys think?

I'm looking forward to having a structured topic again, which will hopefully get me back in the habit of writing more. I don't want to go back to a boring job, which was how I was so much more prolific when I first started!

Butterfly People

All right-thinking people of Pretannic Empire know to avoid those harbingers and bringers of Death, the Moths and Butterflies. Within the Savage Lands we have yet to bring to heel, there are tribes who worship them, but these are people who bear their skin to the Sun, allow children to speak freely, drink with their left hands, and do not know the value of a diamond, so we should not be surprised they are so easily misled by pretty colours and do not understand the Full Danger posed by Lepidoptera.

Even among our Hallowed Empire, however, and not just among those Natives we have recently brought into our Power, nor even just among the Poor and Wastrel classes, there are Deviants who break the Taboo and will not fight against this Threat. Worse, we of the True Moral Foundation are restrained from bringing such Deviants to Justice, for there are  those right into the Highest Echelons of our Society who find uses for the Strange Powers that the Deviants acquire.

To explain: there are many who are fascinated by Lepidoptera and wish to study them for their beauty and their relationship with Death. We know they are always found when a person dies, so if we can find a way to keep them out, can we prevent Death? Research into this has so far proved fruitless and some speculate that the act of a person dying is how these Creatures are brought into our World. Such superstition is of course nonsense and unfitting for a student of Science in the modern World. For some, the fascination extends beyond curiosity and the furtherment of science. I have interviewed such an individual, and they tell me they feel physically drawn to the butterflies and their acts of deviancy. I attempted to Correct this young man, chaining him in a locked room away from strong Light such as excites moths, but he slipped his bounds and escaped, I know not to where. It did not surprise me: there are stories of such people being able to evade blows with the lightness of movement that one sees in their Idols, even of them being able to run through Forest branches, leaping from leaf to leaf as though they weighed nothing.

These are not the Qualities that keep them protected, however. 

There are believed to be two types of Butterfly Deviant: the 'Butterfly Dancers' who learn the abilities described above by dancing with butterflies. Indeed, I have seen such Rituals take place, for while it is Impossible to infiltrate their Societies - and they do form groups and seek out new Wanderers, but seem able to sense when one is not truly of their type - it is possible to spy upon them, and I have done this very thing. A large bonfire is lit of an evening, with Herbs thrown upon it to summon the butterflies. A frenzied, leaping dance ensues, and it is here, one presumes, that the techniques are learnt. The ability that the Butterfly Dancers are believed to posess that protects them is that they can learn a dance that will summon butterflies. Why does this keep them protected, you ask? Well, if you have an Elderly Relative whose passing you wish to Hasten that they may expire before their fortune does, simply call a Butterfly Dancer to summon the butterflies who will steal his Soul from his Body. I have even heard of those who, bored of caring for an unwell Child, would summon the butterflies to ease them of their burden, an Atrocious Act that should be stopped but which the Eternal Empress allows simply because it is not politically suitable to force the end of such Practice. She is, no doubt, Prudent and Wise, but in this I do not Understand her Purpose.

Secondly, there are the 'Butterfly Singers', who are believed to be able to communicate with the Lepidoptera, who come at Death, and are able to postpone a Passing. Tolerance of these may therefore sound more understandable, but remember they are still Deviant and Unclean in their Practice, and such communication would also allow them to pick a different Target for Death. Have you ever had a friend or family member die suddenly and unexpectedly? Could it not be that a Butterfly Singer has sung them to Death? These Assassins are more Dangerous than the Dancers, for they do not even need to be in the same room as their victim.

As always, I ask all members of the True Moral Foundation to watch for Immoral Behaviours and Types and to alert us to any New Dangers you may find.
~ Constantin Ebenezer MakePeace, High Master of the True Moral Foundation

'Butterfly People' is the name outside society gives to the small percentage who, instead of fearing the small insects intrinsically associated with death by the society that creates Butterfly People, are drawn to them. The fear is learnt by most small children, but there are a few who never learn it. Parents often spot these children allowing a moth or butterfly to alight upon their fingers - and notice the willingness of the normally wary insects to do so. Not everyone is as censorous as those of the 'True Moral Foundation' (and other such organisations who feel it is their place to police how others act), but fear of moths and butterflies is deeply engrained and all but the most liberal-minded struggle to deal with learning a friend or family member is a Butterfly Person.

What causes the affinity with butterflies isn't clear. No aspect of society has an greater or lesser chance of producing a Butterfly Person, and there doesn't seem to be any action that can be taken or avoided to increase or decrease the chances. It seems to be innate, and there are some families where it seems to run in the bloodline, but more often there is no known relative or remembered ancestor who could have passed along a gene, and Butterfly People parents rarely produce offspring with the affinity. Without affinity, it isn't possible to learn any of the supernatural abilities (though greater dexterity and empathy is likely to follow from the training regardless).

The Butterfly People don't necessarily use the name themselves. Many do, simply for ease, but others - especially those who found themselves particularly shunned - may call themselves simply "Moths". "Death Walker", "Death's Daughter" and similar are also common. The distinction between "Dancer" and "Singer" is false, or at least as confused as the distinction between moths and butterflies. It is more a question of focus and experience, as anyone born with the affinity can learn any of the abilities.

Supernatural Abilities: I'm providing a few suggestions on abilities that fit my concept, and suggestions on what they might do in a game, but I haven't picked a particular system for this so am not giving explicit examples of how it would be implemented (maybe in the future, when I have more confidence in game design).

Wing's Breadth Dodge
Rocks fell down towards us. She was ahead of me and sure to be struck - but with a strange, fluid twist she evaded them.
Pre-req: None
Game affect: Increases character's dodge/reflex.

Dodge Between Raindrops
The downpour was sudden and torrential, yet when we reached the house I saw he wasn't even damp.
Pre-req: Wing's Breadth Dodge
Game affect: Character can evade small environmental missiles such as rain, cigarette smoke and mosquitoes with no effort. This is a minor, always-active affect that could give a boost to endurance in relevant environments or reduce risk of disease carried by insects or water droplets. 

Flying Leap
As her dance became more frenzied, so her leaps became higher and higher, until she was reaching heights no human should be able.
Pre-req: none
Game affect: Doubles jump distance (horizontal or vertical). 

Light as a Breath
I saw him run and hurried to give chase, but as I reached the snow-covered field I saw he'd left no footprints.
Pre-req: Flying Leap
Game affect: When active, character leaves no footprints and can run or leap across surfaces that should not be able to take their weight - such as water or leaves still on the tree (these will only take the weight for a moment, though: attempting to stand or walk on such a surface will not work).

Butterfly's Wing Dodge
I sliced at her flank, a clear, decisive blow. Yet when I should have felt the resistance of her flesh against my blade there was nothing but air, and I heard her behind me, laughing
Pre-req: Wing's Breadth Dodge, Flying Leap
Game affect: A perfect dodge - character is not hit by the incoming blow, but instead flits impossibly fast to a clear location with a few paces.

Butterfly's Dirge
I called him in when I saw my daughter would not get better. He took my hand so gently, rested his other on her forehead and sang a sad and gentle song. A blue butterfly landed gentle on her chest: she relaxed, smiled, and died.
Pre-req: None
Game affect: Character can (through song, dance, or other means) summon butterflies who will ease the passing of a severely ill or injured character (An enhanced version could do the same for a number of characters.)

Spirit Moth
She settled herself on his grave, then her eyes rolled back in her head and when she spoke it was in his voice, and white butterflies crawled from her mouth.
Pre-req: None
Game affect: Character can act as a medium to speak with dead. (An enhanced version would allow this to happen against the dead person's will.) 

Death's Intervention
It was a difficult birth, and I was sure both my wife and child would die, especially when I saw the swarm of moths cover them. Yet somehow, both survived.
Pre-req: Butterfly's Dirge, Spirit Moth
Game affect: Character can summon butterflies and attempt to intercede with Death for the life of an individual (or individuals). This can bring someone back from the brink of death (or even after...), but should be difficult and involve some form of bargain. The character may have to trade part of their own life, or offer (or have offered) people collected by Butterfly's Dirge - or maybe there's an individual who's been evading Death for too long and Death wants them to learn they cannot win forever...