Missing Traveller OGC: Career Paths, A Discussion...

Good Afternoon, All:

With the exception of the Scout career path, the Traveller System Reference Document (TSRD) provides no additional information on career paths. Therefore, any publisher seeking to publish such details must either create his own Open Game Content or make due with a reference to the core rulebook and leave it at that.

As you well know, I'm not the kind of guy that would leave it at that, particularly if I want to someday have a Player's Guide to Azri Drakara. That pretty much means that I am obliged to create my own career path write-ups for the Azri Drakara campaign setting. Of course, that begs the next question: What career paths should I create for the setting?

Below, you can see a list of the various career paths that my personal favorite versions of the Traveller system. Obviously, I want to provide the basic career paths for the Azri Drakara setting in such a manner that traditional Traveller character concepts can still be created, but I don't want to violate the Closed Content clause of the OGL. The names of the career paths are Open Game Content, since they can be found in the TSRD, and more information can be extracted with a little difficulty from the Open Game Content from Traveller T20, but really, a lot of this is just going to be my own creation.

The core career paths from Classic Traveller:

• Army
• Navy
• Marines
• Merchant
• Scout
• Other

The career paths added to Classic Traveller via the Citizens of the Imperium supplement:

• Barbarian
• Belter
• Bureaucrat
• Diplomat
• Doctor
• Flyer
• Hunter
• Noble
• Pirate
• Rogue
• Sailor
• Scientist

The core career paths from MegaTraveller:

• Army
• Barbarian
• Belter
• Bureaucrat
• Diplomat
• Doctor
• Flyer
• Hunter
• Law Enforcer
• Marine
• Merchant
• Navy
• Noble
• Pirate
• Rogue
• Sailor
• Scientist
• Scout

The core career paths from Traveller T20:

• Academic
• Army
• Barbarian
• Belter
• Marines
• Mercenary
• Merchant
• Navy
• Noble
• Professional
• Rogue
• Scout
• Traveller

The core career paths from Mongoose Traveller:

• Agent
• Army
• Citizen
• Drifter
• Entertainer
• Marine
• Merchant
• Navy
• Nobility
• Rogue
• Scholar
• Scout

Given the commonalities, I am inclined to start with the following core career path list:

• Academic (Doctor, Scholar, Scientist)
• Central Security Service (Agent, Law Enforcer)
• Colonist (Barbarian, Citizen, Hunter, Professional)
• Merchant House (Merchants)
• Public Service (Bureaucrat, Diplomat, Noble)
• Republic Rangers (Scouts)
• Stellar Navy (Navy, Marines)
• System Defense (Army, Flyers, Sailors)
• Traveller (Belter, Drifter, Rogue)

If I had to go with an even smaller list, I'd just use Merchant House, Republic Rangers, Stellar Navy, System Defense and Traveller, since these reflect the contents of the original core career paths from Classic Traveller.

What do you think?

With Regards,
Flynn

Fantasy Friday: Thoughts on 5E...

Good Afternoon, All:

It's time for another installment of Fantasy Fridays, and today I'd like to talk about the new kid on the block, D&D Next aka D&D 5E. I suspect that there will be some similarities between 5E and my own creation, MyD20 Lite. Both are based on the concept of integrating elements from all editions to create a game that is considered by its designers to be the best of all worlds. While MyD20 Lite is a lot more static than the modular approach presented by 5E, it may come to pass that I can play a 5E game that is very similar to MyD20 Lite in terms of complexity and play experience, simply by choosing which modules I implement in my games. If that happens, I won't be upset by that at all. If it doesn't, I still have MyD20 Lite, so I'm not that worried about it.

When I consider the role of modularity that has been proposed for 5E, a number of things come to mind. From a game design perspective, almost all of the differences between editions in terms of characters boils down to using different names and different mechanics to represent one concept: character abilities. Whether it is the special abilities of a character class, race, kit or theme, as well as feats, powers or spells, they are all just different types of character abilities. (In MyD20 Lite, I call these talents and spells.) I can easily imagine that 5E will capture character abilities in one or two basic formats, making it easier to consistently present them to the players. I don't know what Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) will call these abilities, and they may make different subsets for different modules. I'm sure that calling them by the name associated with a specific edition will alienate those who do not like that edition while potentially gaining some traction with those who do support that edition. Thus, I wouldn't be surprised if we see class substitution levels, racial substitution levels, skills, feats, spells and powers, all listed as different modules yet operating under the same kind of underlying game mechanic. That way, no matter what we may call it to soothe its integration into the game, it is still the same game mechanic underneath.

Beyond that, I can imagine taking either the 3E or 4E engine as the basis for the core system, and streamlining it to cover the bare basics of game play: combat, task resolution, character creation, basic magic items, and the like. Really, at its core, D&D is about using a d20 with modifiers to equal or exceed some target number, and if successful, good stuff happens. The rest is simply well-structured window dressing. What we call the whole gaming experience is really the result of how good the DM is, how well the players click with one another, and how much structure the window dressing provides. The twin mechanics of Ascending AC/Descending AC found in Swords & Wizardry shows us that we can include both approaches to satisfy either desired approach. Assuredly, there are other means by which the math can be juggled to provide reasonably similar experiences for the various approaches used by different editions, although task resolution using d6s, d20s and d% make that goal a bit more complicated. That being said, I really expect the core system for 5E to be easily expressed in under 32 pages, excluding character creation, monsters and any encyclopedia-like collection of character abilities.

This weekend is DDXP 2012, which will be the first time that the common gamer will experience the current draft version of 5E. By the end of this weekend, we should have a better idea of the direction things are currently going. The gaming community will likely be abuzz with the ideas they like, the things they hate and uninformed opinions born of knee-jerk reactions. The more vocal minority, often the extremists of any group, will rattle their swords, eager to be heard over the clangor of their peers. I only hope that WOTC finds a balance between all of the disparate opinions, perhaps with a multi-modular approach, so that I can get the game I'd like to see, without a lot of extra stuff getting in my way. (There's a reason I don't play Pathfinder, although I did give it a go. Pathfinder is just a more complex version of v3.5.)

I am making every effort to remain open-minded to the concepts we've heard so far about 5E. I did the same thing for 4E; this time around, I hope that I'm not disappointed by that choice. So, what are your thoughts regarding the next edition of Dungeons & Dragons?

With Regards,
Flynn

Adventures In Rodan: Seeking Your Thoughts...

Good Afternoon, All:

In Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector, I introduced the second of sixteen subsectors for the Azri Drakara campaign setting. (The first subsector that I released for Azri Drakara, Cepheus Subsector, can be found in One-Act Adventure: Vengeance by Proxy.) With Rodan being a frontier subsector, I sought to provide a location for Referees and players alike to begin exploring this campaign setting without having to absorb a lot of background material. Over time, of course, future supplements will expand on the setting, but the goal remains that Azri Drakara is intended to be accessible and usable, particularly with the core Traveller rules.

Although I provided several patron encounters in the introductory book, I know that every campaign can benefit from more adventure ideas. Even if a Referee decides not to use the Azri Drakara setting, he can always adapt the ideas for use in his own Traveller campaign. As I'd mentioned earlier this month, adventures don't sell well, but I'm still going to give it one more try and see where things go from there.

I imagine that, in addition to the core adventure, I will probably add a few patron encounters, and perhaps a few more things along the same vein of adventure inspiration. Ultimately, though, the core adventure will be the heart of that product. With that said, what kind of adventure or story would you like to see published for Azri Drakara and Rodan Subsector?

I already have a few ideas, but haven't settled on any of them as yet. Perhaps you as readers of this blog can share your thoughts on what would make an interesting topic to explore within the setting. My first thoughts are as follows:

The Deadly Secret of Sakri: This adventure idea would explain the secret behind Sakri's unusual history.

The Mines of Theon: This adventure idea explores the mining world of Theon, and introduces more detail into Merchant Houses, particularly House Garrett.

The Port Rhom Incident: This adventure idea develops the concept of Rhom as a haven for smugglers and pirates, and introduces the psionic humans known as the Disciplined.

The Ruins of Hipparch: This adventure idea focuses on the exploration of a Progenitor site on the world of Hipparch.

Search For The Star Crystal: This adventure idea centers around an encounter or series of encounters involving the Star Crystal.

So, what do you think of these ideas? What other ideas would you like to see explored in an adventure set in the Rodan Subsector of the Azri Drakara campaign setting? Here's your chance to help set the course and direction of future products for Samardan Press.

With Regards,
Flynn

Missing Traveller OGC: Weapon Damage Tables...

Good Afternoon, All:

In continuing to address missing Open Game Content from the Traveller System Reference Document (TSRD), this time around I am addressing personal weapon damage. Much of this is simply generalized from my thoughts on Stellar Quest weaponry, but with damage dice appropriate to the 2d6 Open Gaming System found in the TSRD.

Melee Weapons
Weapon damage seems pretty consistent with the following approach, based on weapon size.

Table: Meleee Weapons By Weapon Size

Weapon Size	Range	Damage	Example
Diminutive	Melee (close)	1d3	Under-sized dagger
Tiny	Melee (close)	1d6	Dagger, unarmed attack
Small	Melee (close)	2d6	Short sword
Medium	Melee (reach)	3d6	Long sword
Large	Melee (reach)	4d6	Great sword
Huge	Melee (reach)	5d6	Over-sized great sword

I will likely use the following chart for determining what weapons a particular race may use.

Table: Weapon Usage By Creature Size

Description	Small Creature	Man-sized Creature	Large Creature
One-handed, light weapon, concealable	Diminutive	Tiny	Small
One-handed, light weapon	Tiny	Small	Medium
One-handed	Small	Medium	Large
Two-handed	Medium	Large	Huge

A more flesh-out example of a weapon's table will likely appear in this blog at a later date, but this will serve as the basis for it.

Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons determine damage based on what propels the projectile, or in the case of advanced weaponry, what delivers the damage itself. As there are two general sizes of personal ranged weapons, one-handed (pistols) and two-handed (rifles), damage is determined based on weapon size as well.

Table: Ranged Weapons By Size And Power

Weapon Size	Damage	Example
Muscle-Powered	2d6	Throwing dagger, bow, crossbow
Gunpowder, pistol	2d6	Pistols
Gunpowder, rifle	3d6	Rifles
Gunpowder, shotguns	4d6	Shotguns
Gauss, pistol	3d6	Gauss pistol
Gauss, rifle	4d6	Gauss rifle
Energy, pistol	4d6	Laser pistols
Energy, rifle	5d6	Laser rifles
Fusion/Plasma, pistol	5d6	Plasma pistols
Fusion/Plasma, rifle	6d6	Plasma rifles

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Fantasy Friday: Quick and Dirty Template Inspirations...

Good Afternoon, All:

I was fortunate enough to catch an article on Gnome Stew this week entitled Quick and Dirty Overland Encounter List Template, which referenced another article entitled Quick and Dirty Location Template. Together, these make for a very interesting way to capture a location's data on one page. If you are the type to create lots of notes on your campaign setting as inspiration strikes, having a template that you can use is often very helpful. I've combined these together into one template below, and added my own version of the encounter table format as a reference.

Location Name: What is this location called? (Official name may be different.)
Ambiance: How does this location look and feel?
History: What elements of this location's history provide adventure ideas?
Encounters: What flavor of encounters could be found here?
Treasures: What special treasures may be found here?
Hooks and Hotspots: What adventure hooks and special sub-locations can be found here?

Life Level: How much diversity exists in plants and animal life in this area? (High, Medium, Low)
Hazard Level: How dangerous is it to live here? (High, Medium, Low)
Difficult Terrain Density: How difficult is it to move around in this area? (High, Medium, Low)
Resource Level: How significant and desirable are the local resources? (High, Medium, Low)

Herbivores: What eats the environment here?
Predators: What eats the other creatures here?
Scavengers: What eats the dead here?
Hazards: What makes it lethal to live here?
Humanoids: What humanoids live here?
Exotic: What supernatural or unusual creatures exist here?

2d6	Encounter
2	Rare
3	Uncommon
4	Uncommon
5	Common
6	Common
7	Common
8	Common
9	Common
10	Uncommon
11	Uncommon
12	Rare

Here's an example of the template filled out for a location I may be using in a future fantasy campaign.

Location Name: Mazhtekha Valley
Ambiance: The ruins of a crumbling granite ziggurat break through the foilage of lush jungle valley.
History: Many generations ago, a blood cult brought captured vampires to this isolated site to sacrifice them to a dark blood god. A failed summoning ritual cursed the cultists with an overriding lust for blood, and they destroyed one another trying to sate their thirst.
Encounters: Many encounters in this area focus on the twin themes of blood and ancient curses.
Treasures: The Blood Rubies of Mazhtekha, a collection of five enchanted fist-sized rubies, are hidden within the ziggurat.
Hooks and Hotspots: A huge vampiric blood ooze patrols the jungle floor at night, retreating to the ziggurat during the day. A cabal o vampires seek the remains of their former sires (or perhaps an item he was known to carry), and the sire was rumored to be among the vampires used in the failed rite.

Life Level: Medium (mostly plants, as creatures with blood must be very quick or flyers to avoid being eaten)
Hazard Level: High
Difficult Terrain Density: Medium
Resource Level: Medium

Herbivores: insect swarms, flying snakes, bats
Predators: stirges, jaguars, assassin vines
Scavengers: ghouls, carrion crawlers
Hazards: huge vampiric blood ooze
Humanoids: degenerate cultist descendants (treat as cavemen),
Exotic: vampires

2d6	Encounter
2	Vampire(s)
3	Carrion Crawler(s)
4	Ghouls
5	Stirges
6	Bat Swarm
7	Centipede Swarm
8	Flying Snake(s)
9	Assassin Vine
10	Jaguar
11	Cavemen
12	Vampiric Blood Ooze

The nice thing about this particular template is that it really isn't locked into the fantasy genre, so you could, in theory, use it for any setting you may be working on. Ultimately, it should be used for locations that are fairly homogenous. If you use this in a Sci-Fi campaign, I'd suggest that you not use the template for a planet, and instead use it for a region on the planet's surface, or perhaps a complex or settlement instead.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

The Aboleth: An Exercise In Converting Open Game Content...

Good Afternoon, All:

Animal encounters, like monsters, are an exciting part of any exploration adventure in Traveller. Sadly, there aren't a lot of sources for creature stats in Traveller. However, there are plenty of Open Game Content sources written for other gaming systems. The beauty of operating under the same license, though, is that you can take the Open Content from one system, translate it and then use it for the second gaming system and still be perfectly legal about it, so long as you follow all the requirements for doing so. (That means including a copy of the OGL in your product, and updating the Section 15 of your copy of the license to include all the references found in the original source's copy of the OGL. After all, you have to give credit where credit is due.)

With a little elbow grease, you could easily come up with some conversions for D20 monsters that would fit in your campaign or adventure. Let's take, for example, the aboleth. For those that do not know, the aboleth is a revolting fish-like amphibian found primarily in subterranean lakes and rivers. An aboleth has a pink belly. Four pulsating blueblack orifices line the bottom of its body and secrete gray slime that smells like rancid grease. It uses its tail for propulsion in the water and drags itself along with its tentacles on land. An aboleth weighs about 6,500 pounds. An aboleth attacks by flailing with its long, slimy tentacles, though it prefers to fight from a distance using its illusion powers. While D20 paints a picture of the beast as an intelligent psionic creature that can create spawn that serve it, we can easily use the core of this concept as an awesome encounter in Traveller.

The aboleth's stat block under D20 looks something like this:

Aboleth: CR 7; Huge Aberration (Aquatic); HD 8d8+40 (76 hp); Init +1; Spd 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 60 ft.; AC 16 (–2 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grapple +6/+22; Atk Tentacle +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime); Full Atk 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Enslave, psionics, slime; SQ Aquatic subtype, darkvision 60 ft., mucus cloud; SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +11; Str 26, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17; Skills & Feats: Concentration +16, Knowledge (any one) +13, Listen +16, Spot +16, Swim +8; Alertness, Combat Casting, Iron Will; Environment: Underground; Organization: Solitary, brood (2–4),or slaver brood (1d3+1 plus 7–12 skum); Treasure Double standard; AL LE.

Using the above, we can start the translation pretty easily. First, the physical ability scores translate almost directly by dividing by 1.5. That gives us: Str 18, Dex 8, End 14. Since this is not an animal under D20, I would use the highest animal intelligence (Int 1) for our new creature, just to avoid the whole sophont issue. Wisdom should probably convert easily to Instinct (Ins), so we're looking at Ins 12. Pack is determined entirely by the D20 creature's Organization descriptor, so I would translate that as Pack 1 or Pack 2.

I can double check my physical ability scores by converting 6,500 pounds to kilograms, and then looking on the Size Table. The aboleth is not quite Size 12, so let's call it Size 11 and compare. Both Str and End are calculated by 5d6 at that size, which gives us an average of 17.5. Yes, we're within a reasonable proximity of that. Dexterity is calculated by 2d6 (average 7), and our converted Dex lies in that range. Looks like we are good to go for stats.

Stats complete, I move to the next step, which is identifying the creature type in Traveller terms. Obviously, the aboleth is a Swimmer, and from its description, I'm going to call this a Riverbank Swimmer. We know that the aboleth is a Carnivore, and I'd initially consider either a Siren or Trapper. Looking at the examples for each in the Traveller core rules, I'm going to go with a Trapper.

Skills are probably best handled per the Traveller rules, although I'd assign Melee (natural weapons) skill levels based on the BAB divided by four. In this case, my version of the aboleth has the following skills: Athletics 2, Melee (natural weapons) 2, Recon 1, Survival 1.

We already know that the damage of our natural weapons will be 2d6, based on the creature's Strength. I don't see tentacles on the list of weapons in the Weapons Table under Animal Encounters in the Traveller core rules, so I'll use Thrasher for my weapon, instead.

The natural armor modifier of +7, after being halved, becomes our new armor value for this creature.

At this point, I could let it go, but I really want to capture more of the unique flavor of the aboleth for the game. Looking at the creature's Special Qualities and Special Attacks, I note a few of them that easily spring to mind as cool possible effects for a creature encounter. Enslave, or psionic domination, would be very interesting, especially since characters cannot do this. Also, changing the slime from a transformative agent into a paralytic one seems like a reasonable change in keeping with the Trapper motif.

For Enslave, I'd suggest that I first create a Psi score and skills for this character. Using Charisma or Wisdom as the Psionic Strength score seems reasonable, which creates a Psi 12 for this particular creature. Let's give the aboleth skill in Telepathy (2 ranks, perhaps). Enslave should be at least as tough as Assault, so let's go with the following for Enslave:
Telepathy, Psionic Strength, 1–6 minutes, Formidable (–6).
Costs 8+Range.

For the paralytic slime idea, we'll treat this like a poison of sorts. When the aboleth hits its target and deals damage, the target must then make a Difficult (-2) Endurance check to resist paralysis. If the target fails the check, they are paralyzed and collapses, unable to move for the next 2d6 minutes.

The end results of this effort can be found below:

Type	Habitat	Strength	Dexterity	Endurance	Intelligence	Instinct	Pack
Aboleth
Trapper (Carnivore)	Riverbank Swimmer	18	8	14	1	12	1
Athletics 1, Melee (natural weapons) 2, Recon 1, Survival 1, Telepathy 2
Thrasher+1 (2d6), Thick Hide (3). Number encountered: 1d3
Psi 12, Enslave. Paralytic slime (End check, DM-2, or be paralyzed for 2d6 minutes).
The aboleth is a revolting fish-like amphibian found primarily in subterranean lakes and rivers. Four pulsating blue-black orifices line the bottom of its body and secrete gray slime that smells like rancid grease. It uses its tail for propulsion in the water and drags itself along with its tentacles on land. An aboleth attacks by flailing with its long, slimy tentacles, though it prefers to fight from a distance using its telepathic powers.

And this is how you can use other Open Game Content resources to increase the materials available for your own campaign.

With Regards,
Flynn

Missing Traveller OGC: Weapon Ranges Table...

Good Afternoon, All:

As a publisher of Traveller products, one of the things I find the most frustrating about the Traveller System Reference Document is that much of the specific information related to the mechanics of weapons and combat is missing. I understand that this is intended to require publishers to make vague references to the Traveller core rules, thus insuring that Mongoose Publishing continues to have strong sales of their core book, at the very least. However, I feel that such hamstrings me on specific projects, and so I have been creating Open Game Content of my own to cover the absent material.

For example, the Traveller System Reference Document does not have a range table for personal combat. Now, to be fair, the Mercenary System Reference Document does contain a parabolic weapons range tables that slipped past the censors, giving us an idea of how it should look. In that same document, we also see a few weapon stat tables, which give us a format we can use, if we want to maintain consistency. However, as a publisher, we cannot simply duplicate the material that is considered closed content in our own books, so I cannot copy the range tables to include in my own products. Instead, I'll have to come up with my own, if I want to include them.

With that in mind, I'm going to take a step back and describe the difficulty of each range category as a Task Resolution difficulty rating. This harkens back to my MegaTraveller days, giving me a sense of nostalgia, yet it also creates a system that is consistent with the rules as they are written, and thus easy to grasp. Looking at the current core rules (closed content) and converting the penalties and bonuses to the best fitting task descriptors, I come up with the following range table for use in my games and my own published material:

Table: Personal and Space Weapon Ranges

Weapon Category	Personal	Close	Short	Medium	Long	Very Long	Distant
Melee (close)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	--	--	--	--	--
Melee (reach)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	--	--	--	--	--
Ranged (thrown)	--	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	--	--	--
Ranged (pistol)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)	--	--
Ranged (rifle)	Very Difficult (-4)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)
Ranged (shotgun)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)	--	--
Ranged (assault weapon)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)	Formidable (-6)
Ranged (rocket)	Very Difficult (-4)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)
Space (missile)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)
Space (short)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Very Difficult (-4)	--	--	--
Space (medium)	Difficult (-2)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)	--
Space (long)	Very Difficult (-4)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)	Very Difficult (-4)
Space (very long)	Very Difficult (-4)	Difficult (-2)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Average (+0)	Difficult (-2)

That should do it. It changes the odds in a few places, but puts the emphasis on the skill system, which I think is appropriate. That, and it places all of the range tables in one location, where it will prove more useful when resolving combat.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Fantasy Friday: Six Monsters From South America...

Good Afternoon, All:

Welcome to Post #400 on "In Like Flynn," and an introduction to Fantasy Fridays. As I mentioned before, going forward, this blog will focus more on the 2d6 Open-Gaming System referenced in the Traveller System Reference Document. While a majority of my efforts will be focused on that goal, since that's what has proven to be the most profitable overall, we all know that I need outlets for other activities. Thus, I'm creating a new weekly feature for my blog which I am calling Fantasy Fridays. Every Friday, I will post something not related to Traveller, but fitting in with the Old School fantasy vibe that I enjoy. The system for such discussions may vary, but the content will always be rooted in fantasy.

I sometimes find inspiration for new monsters and flavorful encounters by reading Wikipedia entries on the mythological creatures of a given culture. While D&D has many of the creatures common to the Greek and Roman myths, there's a lot of unexplored territory in other cultures of the world. For example, let's look at South American mythology. The following six creatures sound like they'd make for a memorable encounter in one of my games.

Alicanto: The Alicanto is a bird with wings that glow at night with beautiful, metallic color and eyes that emit strange lights. It feeds on gold and silver; miners have followed them to undiscovered riches in times past. However, if an Alicanto discovers that it is being followed, it will lead its greedy pursuers to their death. For stats, I'd treat the Alicanto as an eagle with an eyebeam ranged attack that inflicts 2d6 damage if it hits.

Caipora: A mischievous fey, the Caipora resembles a dwarf with the head of a fox, and often rides a wild boar. It loves to play pranks on people that enter into its forest, and viciously protects the forest from the destructive actions of civilization. For stats, I would treat the Caipora as a satyr with a confusion ability instead of charming pipes, and a vicious bite instead of a head butt.

Cherufe: The Cherufe is a evil giant made of rock and magma that inhabits volcanoes. They have the power to induce earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and thus are feared by villagers living near volcanoes. The only way to abate the Cherufe's appetite for destruction is to offer it a sacrificial victim, preferably a virginal maiden. For stats, I'd probably start with a large fire elemental, and add the ability to cast earthquake and meteor storm three times per day or something like that.

Luison: Resembling a dire wolf with humanoid features, a shaggy mane and dagger-like teeth, the Luison reaks of death and decay. Luisons inhabit cemeteries and other places of death, where it feasts on corpses and rotting flesh. For stats, I'd use the dire wolf, and give it the fetid stench associated with the troglodyte. You could even add a fear effect, if you so desired.

Muladona: The ghost of a woman cursed for tempting priests with lust, the Muladona resembles a fire-spewing headless mule. Its coat is a deep purple, and its silver-shod hooves produce a hideous sound as it trots. Despite being headless, the Muladona can still wail like a banshee and can breathe fire from its neck like a hellhound. For stats, I'd treat the Muladona as a banshee with the hellhound's fiery breath and the movement of a mule.

Peuchen: The Peuchen is a shape-shifting creature that can assume any animal form instantly. In its native form, however, the Peuchen resembles a gigantic flying snake with a gaze that can paralyze its victim, allowing the beast to suck its blood. For stats, I'd start with a giant constrictor snake, add some form of flying movement, add the basilisk's gaze attack (except that it only paralyzes instead of petrifies the target) and perhaps add the stirge's blood drain ability.

Looking through the pages on Wikipedia, I'm sure you'll find other inspirations. However, these should prove useful if you are looking to create a different gaming experience for your players.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

The Year Ahead: In Like Flynn in 2012...

Good Morning, All:

While times have been rough, I haven't forgotten about my blog. Indeed, I've been giving it a lot of thought over the last few months. Essentially, I view my blog as serving two purposes: 1) to provide me with a way of expressing my creativity and getting feedback from those interested enough to post comments; and 2) to help me develop things for my game and for my publishing imprint, Samardan Press.

This morning I looked through the sales numbers for various products I have sold under the Samardan Press label. As I have done before, here's a rough breakdown of total sales to date, by product, sorted by System and then Title:

Title	Lulu-Print	Lulu-Electronic	RPGNow	Total Sold	System	Type
Fantasy Concepts Campaign Resource	27	107	42	176	FC	System
OGL Alternatives: Alternate Advancement System	0	32	31	63	Generic	Rules
Modern Options: The Tome Of Talents	0	18	7	25	Modern	Rules
MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures	1	3	5	9	MyD20	Monsters
MyD20 Lite Player's Guide	4	19	48	71	MyD20	System
Book of Races	7	9	29	45	S&W	Rules
Hammersong's Legacy	5	5	1	11	S&W	Setting
Flynn's Guide To Alien Creation	36	52	144	232	Traveller	Rules
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: A Primer	3	1	21	25	Traveller	Setting
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Republic Starships	3	0	31	34	Traveller	Vehicle
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector	3	3	35	41	Traveller	Setting
Flynn's Guide to Magic in Traveller	16	18	96	130	Traveller	Rules
One-Act Adventure: Vengeance By Proxy	13	12	0	25	Traveller	Adventure

From the numbers above, it is easy to see that my best sellers are my Traveller products, followed closely behind by Fantasy Concepts. MyD20 Lite and Swords & Wizardry bring up the rear at third and fourth place. On a product by product basis, Fantasy Concepts outdistances everything, but Traveller sales are still strong, easily twice that of MyD20 Lite on a per-product basis, which in turn is twice that of Swords & Wizardry. Since Fantasy Concepts was a one-off product, it would help my business to focus primarily on Traveller products in the coming year.

In terms of product types, I can see that I have the most sales with Rules-related sourcebooks, with a particular emphasis on my core system books in particular. Surprisingly, monsters don't sell as well, although my starship book is doing much better than I actually expected. We learned last time that setting books don't do well, but I've been surprised at the performance of the Traveller setting books I've written. Adventures are doing almost as well as my setting work, and they tend to support a product line that features a setting, so I may have to change my mind on their place in my publishing future. I think I'll publish a new one in the next few months and see how well it does. Besides, I like to put a lot of background information into my adventures, so it will be like a mini-setting sourcebook as well.

With that in mind, I'm inclined to put my efforts toward the following directions with future products:

• Traveller products will continue to be my main focus.
• I still intend to release at least one more MyD20 Lite product to complete the set, but otherwise, I am not going to be active here until I see how the D&D 5th Edition playtest material looks. MyD20 Lite was my solution to the same problem they are facing, and I may discover that their efforts may render mine mute.
• I will publish one more Traveller adventure, to see how it fairs and whether it proves profitable to publish adventures or not.
• I will not publish any of the other ideas that were bouncing around in my head, at least at this time, because it detracts me from focusing on the things that will actually help me become a more successful publisher.

The direction of In Like Flynn is also going to shift. My focus going forward will be on the Traveller system, although that does not require me to be focused on just Science Fiction. After all, the system can still be used to run fantasy-based games, so expect that this blog will also sport some of its usual Old School Fantasy flavor. (Besides, I know me, and I'm still likely to slip a few traditional gaming system posts in here from time to time.) Note, though, that this blog will be expanding into the realm of Science Fiction, so expect to see that diversity in future posts.

Thank you all for your patience and your presence on this blog, and I look forward to what 2012 holds for us all. It should be a fun year!

With Regards,
Flynn

Latest Release - Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Republic Starships...

Good Morning, All:

Another week of hard work and here we are, another Samardan Press publication! Please feel free to check it out, and consider it for your favorite Traveller fan this holiday season!

Enjoy!

---

Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Republic Starships is a campaign resource and sourcebook for Traveller that describes starships common to the Dracosian Republic. This book provides an overview of the use of starships within the Republic (including a hierarchy of military vessels, the proper use of distress signals and an alternate approach to the Ship Shares material benefit), detailed descriptions for 18 different space vessels, and a complete set of space encounter tables and rules.

Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Republic Starships is another product in our outstanding Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara series. This series provides details on the Azri Drakara sector, a region in space where Referees and players can engage in all manner of science fiction adventuring. Although designed for use with the Traveller system, the Azri Drakara setting can be used with any science fiction roleplaying game!



You can find this product in PDF format at both RPGNow and Lulu:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Republic Starships on Lulu.com
Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Republic Starships on RPGNow.com

You can also pick this product up in hardcopy via Print-On-Demand at Lulu:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Republic Starships Print-On-Demand on Lulu.com

Watch for future releases of the Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara series from Samardan Press in the coming months!

With Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp

Latest Release - Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: A Primer...

Good Afternoon, All:

After a week of illness and another week of hard effort, I wanted to announce that Samardan Press released a new product today, Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: A Primer. This product was inspired by a reviewer's comments over on RPGNow.com, so I felt it might be appreciated.

Enjoy!

---

Out towards the rim of the Milky Way galaxy, a thousand parsecs away from Old Earth, far from that little yellow sun called Sol, lies a region of space known as the Azri Drakara sector!

Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: A Primer is a campaign resource and sourcebook for Traveller that introduces a complete game setting which can be used with the Traveller system, or even other science fiction rules sets. This book provides an overview to the setting, including a history of the Dracosian Republic, a map of Azri Drakara sector, an introduction to 11 different interstellar polities that exist within the sector, details for 15 intelligent species (both human and alien) frequently encountered within Azri Drakara sector, and some design notes providing a behind-the-scenes peek at some of the elements included in this new Traveller campaign setting.



You can find the PDF version of this product on both Lulu and RPGNow:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: A Primer by Jason Kemp in Games
Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: A Primer - Samardan Press | RPGNow.com

You can also obtain a physical copy of this product via Print-On-Demand from Lulu.com:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: A Primer by Jason Kemp in Games

Please check out future releases in the Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara series from Samardan Press in the coming months!

With Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp
Samardan Press

Latest Release - Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector...

Good Afternoon, All:

I simply wanted to make an announcement that Samardan Press released Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector today.

Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector is campaign resource and sourcebook for Traveller that provides a complete game setting which can be used with the Traveller system, or even other science fiction rules sets. This book focuses on the 40 primary worlds located within a single subsector on the frontier of the Azri Drakara sector. It provides astrography maps, world data, library data, rumors and a number of patron encounters to help you begin your next science-fiction campaign among the borderworlds of the Dracosian Republic.

Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector is the first product of the Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara series. This series provides details on the Azri Drakara sector, a region in space where Referees and players can engage in all manner of science fiction adventuring.

Watch for future releases of the Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara series from Samardan Press in the coming months!

You can find the PDF at both RPGNow and Lulu.com:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector by Jason Kemp in Games
Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector - Samardan Press | RPGNow.com

You can find the Print On Demand version at Lulu.com:
Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector by Jason Kemp in Games

Enjoy,
Flynn

Latest Release - MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures...

Good Afternoon, All:

MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures, the latest release from Samardan Press is now available!

Running a game of MyD20 Lite just got a lot easier!

The MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures is intended to provide the Referee with a basic list of more than sixty different monsters that are common to many fantasy campaigns, some of which have multiple stat blocks for variant monsters, leading to almost seventy-five different unique monsters ready to populate your adventures! In addition, you'll also find rules on how to create your own monsters in the MyD20 Lite system!

MyD20 Lite's small, spartan rule-set frees up your creativity to create a fantasy role-playing experience without the hassles found with larger, more complex gaming systems.



You can find the eBook/PDF at Lulu or RPGNow:
http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/myd20-lite-bestiary-common-creatures/18167675
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=95870

You can obtain a physical copy via Print-On-Demand at Lulu:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/myd20-lite-bestiary-common-creatures/18172392

Please check out the MyD20 Lite Player’s Guide as well!

With Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp

Change of Plans: MyD20 Lite Referee's Guide...

Good Morning, All:

At the moment, I am preparing to release my next MyD20 Lite product, which I am calling MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures. It is a small collection of more than sixty monsters that can be used with any MyD20 Lite campaign. A majority come from the work I've done on the Referee's Guide, some from Hammersong's Legacy (updated to MyD20 Lite, of course), and some are introduced just to cover some of the bases regarding common creatures. This 40-page supplement should be available before the end of the week, in both PDF and Print-On-Demand.

In essence, I'm looking at breaking the Referee's Guide up into smaller parts so that I can get more of it out there now, and then add the parts that are still missing as I go along. Expect to see a Treasure supplement in the next few weeks, as well as Referee Advice. Other bits and pieces will follow, and eventually, I'll compile them all into a single book, once I've finished everything. While this doesn't give the MyD20 Lite fans a complete book all at once, at least it gives them something that they can use right now. Eventually, I may even create my own version of the D&D Rules Compendium and bring it all together into one giant hardcover book.

Of course, if the MyD20 Lite stuff doesn't sell well, then I know that the material isn't in high demand and I can stop beating myself up about not getting it done. If that's the case, I will wait until I have an actual MyD20 Lite gaming group instead of the Savage Worlds game I'm running right now before I finalize the whole system. Since I tend to write more for things that I can use in my game, in one form or another, that will probably be the biggest motivator toward getting things done. Right now, though, my Savage Worlds game is going strong, and I'm really enjoying it, so I wouldn't expect that additional external motivation just yet. But if there are a significant number of people waiting, I'm more motivated to get it finished and out there where it can be used and enjoyed.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

World Consolidation: The Kingdom of Synovia...

Good Morning, All:

One of the first kingdoms to define in this project is also one of the kingdoms that has appeared in some form or other in the most campaign worlds that I've created, the Kingdom of Synovia. In fact, a friend and fellow GM liked the name so much that he started using it in his campaign worlds. I originally came up with the name back in my college days, while studying for Anatomy and Physiology. (The fluid of the knee joint is called synovial fluid.) From its beginning, Synovia has typically been a city-state with an Ancient Greek flavor, albeit often with heavy medieval elements mixed in as a result of being the central hub of a classic D&D-esque fantasy setting.

Synovia, Kingdom of
The Kingdom of Synovia is actually a walled city-state that governs and protects all lands within fifty miles of its gates. Having survived the apocalyptic Dark Times, the kingdom may yet fall as varying factions vie to put an heir on the recently vacated throne.
Capital: The City-State of Synovia is the capitol of the kingdom.

City-State of Synovia (Large City, Pop. 20,000): Aristocracy (House of Lords, made up of influential Noble Houses, nominally led by a patrilineal king); Reaction To Outsiders: Indifferent; Resources: Processed metal goods; Important NPCs: Sir Andrus Phaetren (heroic male human warlord and heir apparent to the throne), Lord Nigritus (dour male human admiral and lifelong rival of Sir Andrus), High Magus Ravenwolf (jovial male human elementalist).

Population: 100,000, with 20,000 living in the City-State of Synovia proper, roughly 10,000 among the major townships that support Synovia and the remainder in the villages and farms on Synovial lands. The population is predominately human, with a significant minority of dwarves and valefolk.
Common Language(s): Trade, Synovial and, to a lesser extent, Duar and Vaelic.
Society: Based on Ancient Greek society, with the use of medieval British terms to make it more accessible to gamers. Synovia is a classic starting point for many campaigns.
Government: Synovia is ruled by its aristocracy, the House of Lords, who are comprised of the lords of those noble houses that hold both wealth and political power, with a patrilineal monarch as its nominal ruler. Most political decisions are made in the High Courts.
Diplomatic Relations: Synovia is traditionally at odds with the Slavic-influenced country of Pasalovakia, and on good terms with a nearby dwarven kingdom (usually a variant of the Duar Triumvirate).
Trade & Commerce: Synovia deals primarily with raw ores and processed metal and ceramic/pottery goods. It can survive on what its farmlands grow, but imports exotic foodstuffs.
Military: Synovia has a standing army of about 10,000 soldiers, many recruited from farms and villages under Synovia’s protection as part of the land’s taxes. During times of peace, the military actively patrols the local lands to protect its citizenry. During the tumultuous times following the recent death of Synovia’s sovereigns, some Houses have used the military to extort more taxes than usual from the citizenry to support the city dwellers in the aftermath of the Dark Times.
Major Settlements: In the consolidated version of Synovia, there are three major townships that support the kingdom.

Greenfell (Township, Pop. 1000): Lord-Mayor (appointed by the Synovial King); Reaction To Outsiders: Friendly; Resources: Lumber; Important NPCs: Lord-Mayor Volus of Greenfell (loyal male human mercenary/aristocrat), Solarius the Tailor (jovial male human spymaster). Greenfell is the closest township to the neutral trading camp/tent-city known as Trader’s Point.

Newport (Township, Pop. 2000): Town Council (voted by populace); Reaction To Outsiders: Indifferent; Resources: Port city; Important NPCs: Amandrea (stoic female Cyclops oracle), Father Claudius (pious male human cleric of Joven), Johanus the Hawk (alert male human commander of the guard). Pilgrims sometimes come to Newport to seek the advice of Amandrea, the Oracle that lives on the largest island in Newport Bay. The Temple of the Three Graces houses the greatest healers, magical and non-magical, in the kingdom.

Silverdale (Township, Pop. 1500): Town Council (Lord-Mayor appointed by Synovia King, remainder voted by populace); Reaction To Outsiders: Friendly; Resources: Silver mines; Important NPCs: TBD. Silverdale is a day’s travel from the most commonly known entrance to the Vaults of Celebrus, making it a popular city for adventurers and mercenaries seeking their fortune in the ruins.

Major Organizations: Bandits have taken advantage of the turmoil in the city to harass the outlying villages, leading to the formation of the Synovial Rangers, who are comprised of and protect the citizens of the threatened regions. The Thorns of Alonna, an order of holy warriors devoted to the goddess of nature, have a high presence in the rural lands in and about Synovia.
Symbol: Synovia’s current emblem is a golden dragon rampant on a crimson background.

One of the things that I learned from this experience is that the template above requires a lot of work to fill out. I may have to simplify it even further. Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.

With Regards,
Flynn

World Consolidation: The Kingdom Template...

Good Evening, All:

As you may well have noted, I haven't been very diligent in updating my blog over the last few weeks. Part of that has been a hectic workload, but general life issues are as much to blame as anything else. In hopes of sparking some internal interest in getting back into the blog, I've decided to return to my personal World Consolidation effort. For the immediate future, I'm working specifically on the kingdoms in my Consolidated World, and will be writing up a number of them in a simple format so that I can gather it all together in one location.

For the moment, the template I've created to capture this information can be found below. It combines some elements from my Settlement data template with elements from my Interstellar Polity data template, and should give me sufficient information to capture the rudiments of a kingdom on a single page. Further work can be done on specific examples, but for the core of my Consolidated World, this basic template should suffice.

KINGDOM NAME
Brief description of kingdom.
Capital: The capital city of the kingdom.
Population: Numbers and brief description of the kingdom's people and where they live.
Common Language(s): Languages commonly spoken within the kingdom.
Society: This section discusses the common mindset held by the general population of this kingdom, as an aid to Referees during gameplay and adventure design. This section should address both citizens and outsiders, if the roles are different.
Government: Who rules and how they rule. Also includes any publicly known political goals of the kingdom's government.
Diplomatic Relations: This section details the kingdom's general trends in diplomatic relations with its neighbors.
Trade & Commerce: Businesses and commercial drives for the kingdom.
Military: Guard, militia, and other defenses of the kingdom.
Major Settlements: Important settlements in or under the influence of the kingdom.
Major Organizations: Important groups in the kingdom.
Symbol: Description of the kingdom's symbol or flag.

I contemplated adding a simple Rumor table at the end of the template, but then decided against it. I'm going to have a difficult time keeping each kingdom to a page as it is. Why add additional stress to the whole process by adding a mandatory Rumors table on top of the work detailed above?

Additionally, since the above template can also be used as a handout if need be, I should probably mention that I want to have a separate section in another part of my setting bible that includes major secrets in each region and such which can be discovered over the course of adventuring. If I were to include it above, I'd probably put it at the end. Sadly, I couldn't use the page as a handout if I did so, and I'm trying to be practical here.

Your thoughts on the template above would be appreciated. If anything, I'd rather err on the side of minimalism, just to keep the size of the workload reasonable. Any comments or suggestions you have will be given the consideration they are due.

With Regards,
Flynn

Adventuring In A Dead Goddess's Dreams...

Good Evening, All:

As one of my players will not be available for gaming for two weeks, the others have asked that I run an adventure set in Dreamland. In my version of the Madlands Campaign, the goddess of dreams is the one who died in battle, and the party has become involved with her spirit/soul/essence over the course of the last year of gaming. With a player out who is pretty prominent in the main adventure, they sought an adventure idea that would help develop the background of the game a little bit, and then one of them suggested this fantastic idea. I've taken it and started to run with it.

I'm using the Dreamland adventure as a means of demonstrating elements from three of my primary story arcs. In essence, it ties these arcs into one inter-related storyline, but aside from these elements that exist because of a common point in history, the arcs still stand alone. My players seem to really enjoy these opportunities where I can share some of the secrets behind the campaign setting, and I thought that doing so would also be a great way to provide clues on how to move forward toward a resolution of one or more of these major threads.

I'm also looking forward to providing interaction with various monsters that I haven't exposed to the group yet, but will feature in some of the upcoming adventures. Most of these will be "mook level" encounters, but they paint a picture of what lies ahead in pursuit of these storylines. With these experiences under their belt, I hope to give them clues that may make future adventures a little easier. If you know what to expect from these monsters, then you can prepare for them.

Finally, given that this is a Dreamland adventure, I get to provide the characters with a different yet flavorful environment, complete with elements based on their major fears and desires. This will let me explore a little bit of the horror aspects of the setting, as well as tailor an experience directly to the past and future of the characters in a more blatant manner than the usual fantasy fare might.

I'm currently pulling my thoughts together into a set of adventure notes. Tomorrow, I'll stat up the monsters and nail down some of the final encounter elements so that I make sure the rules emphasize the flavor of a dead goddess's dreams. Have you ever wondered what the restless spirit of a dead goddess dreams of? This week and next, my players get the chance to play through one answer to that question. If all goes well, it will be the kind of game people talk about years down the road. If not, at least it will be a fun adventure, right?

With that in mind, what would you suggest? How would you tackle this kind of adventure? I obviously have my thoughts, but they aren't yet set in stone (as it were.) I'm definitely not above borrowing the better ideas and suggestions that come my way, and incorporating them into the adventure I'm crafting for my players. Thanks in advance for any assistance you might be willing to offer.

With Regards,
Flynn

Campaign Development: Background Abilities...

Good Afternoon, All:

I've observed a relatively new phenomenon recently due to my participation in the Kingmaker adventure path by Paizo, as well as reading through the War of the Burning Sky adventure path by EN Publishing and the Neverwinter Campaign Setting by Wizards of the Coast. In all three cases, the Player's Guide for the adventure path provides additional starting abilities that players can select which tie them into the campaign setting. They get their background ability for free, and along with it comes some character connection to the campaign world and the adventures as a whole. While Paizo's implementation has been a little less immersive than the examples implemented by EN Publishing or WOTC, it still captures the concept well enough that I'm tempted to pursue something like it for my next campaign.

These abilities are rarely anything overpowering. Instead, it's like a bonus granted to players who choose to connect their character to a developed storyline or campaign element, and thus enhancing their investment and immersion into the campaign. Plus, I think it gets people asking about the setting and figuring out some of the basic character roles that you want to see as a GM within the game. Usually, it's something like a +1 on a D20 roll within a limited context (such as +1 on attack rolls with axes due to cultural training), or a +2 under certain circumstances. You may also start with some kind of specialized equipment (such as a mount for a clan of horseriders, or armor for a military organization), or just a little extra cash (to reflect a better social position).

If I were to create these for my current Madlands campaign, I'd probably look at the elements that emphasize exploration in the Madlands themselves, and build some backgrounds around them. For example, I'd probably create something for the Seekers of Truth, who are trying to recover and preserve lost lore; the Order Elysia, who gain magical power by draining it from extraplanar creatures; the Circle of Mithril, a mercenary guild common to the area; the Shadow Syndicate, a rogue's guild with grander plans; and perhaps one or two other organizations with a vested interest in exploration. I'd want to make sure that I covered all of the main character types (from a "character class" perspective) in terms of applicability, and added one or two more, just for fun. Each option would be open to more than one character type, as well, to allow people to travel together who are bound by a common background, should they so choose. I'd definitely want to keep the number of options low, though, aiming for either five or seven. While it could be stretched higher than that, I would want to make sure I didn't exceed twice the number of people at the gaming table, and I'd much prefer no more than one or two more options than chairs. This creates a tighter focus, in my opinion.

I also think these would be campaign-specific. In other words, I would want to create them at the beginning of each new campaign, simply to reflect the direction of a given campaign. Next time around, even if the new campaign is set in the same location as a previous game, the focus would be different, and the background options should reflect and support that.

Until Next Time,
Flynn

Savage Kingmaker: Building Kingdoms...

Good Morning, All:

What follows are my thoughts on the Savage Worlds basic rule conversions for Kingdom Building as found in Paizo's Pathfinder #32, "Rivers Run Red", from the Kingmaker adventure path. If something is not listed here, assume that it follows the rules found in the original article listed above.

Kingdom Statistics
All kingdom checks (Economy, Loyalty and Stability) are based on the Ruler's Knowledge (Statecraft) skill, which is based on Smarts. Much like the resolution of Mass Battles, characters in specific roles may make an appropriate skill check to assist in one of the three kingdom checks for the month.

Alignment: As Savage Worlds does not have alignment, kingdoms do not recieve any bonuses to kingdom checks based on alignment.

Size: A Kingdom's size remains equal to the number of hexes comprising the kingdom. Kingdom checks suffer a penalty equal to half the kingdom's size, rounded down.

Leadership: Penalties to kingdom checks for missing a particular leadership position are halved from the article itself. (i.e. if the kingdom has no Councilor, then the Loyalty kingdom check suffers a -1 penalty.) Instead of granting bonuses to a kingdom check based on a statistic, each leadership role is allowed to make a single skill check to aid the appropriate kingdom check each month (+1 with a success, +1 per Raise). The skills for each leadership role are defined in the Skill By Leadership Role table below.

Table: Skill By Leadership Role

Leadership Role	Skill
Councilor	Knowledge (Statecraft)
General	Knowledge (Battle)
Grand Diplomat	Knowledge (Linguistics)
High Priest	Knowledge (Religion)
Magister	Knowledge (Arcane)
Marshal	Knowledge (Battle)
Royal Assassin	Intimidation
Spymaster	Streetwise
Treasurer	Knowledge (Statecraft)
warden	Knowledge (Battle)

Other Bonuses and Penalties: All other circumstances that impact a kingdom check provide a bonus or impose a penalty that is half that described in the article, round toward the most negative number. Thus, a -1 penalty in the article still grants a -1 penalty, while a +1 does not grant a bonus to the kingdom check, and a +3 only grants a +1 bonus on the kingdom check, etc.

Kingdom Check: Stability
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 1 of the Upkeep Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Stability check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles. If successful, he reduces Unrest by 1 (or gains 1 BP if Unrest is at 0). On a failure, Unrest increases by 1; on a result of 1 or less, Unrest increases by 2.

Kingdom Check: Loyalty
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 2 of the Income Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Loyalty check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein), the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles, and half the BPs being withdrawn, rounded up. On a failure, Unrest increases by the number of BPs withdrawn.

Kingdom Check: Economy
The Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 3 of the Income Phase, modified by the Economy check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein), the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles, and an additional penalty based on item rarity (-4 for moderate items and -8 for major items). On a failure, nothing sells. With a success, the Ruler increases the kingdom's treasury by 2 BP (minor items), 8 BP (moderate items) or 15 BP (major items.)

In addition, the Ruler makes a Knowledge (Statecraft) skill check in Step 4 of the Income Phase, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Economy check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles. On a success, increase your kingdom's treasure by a number of BP equal to 1 for every 2 points on the trait check result above the base of 4.

Kingdom Checks: General
In addition, certain events call for kingdom checks in order to minimize or remove any negative impact. Those are simply a Ruler's Knowledge (Statecraft) check, modified by the kingdom's size as discussed above, the Economy, Loyalty or Stability check modifiers as determined per the article (and modified herein) and the skill check results of the appropriate leadership roles.

I think the rest of it could stand as is, at least for the time being. Some experimentation would be necessary. If I had a group interested in carving out a kingdom within the Madlands, I'd definitely try this out. If someone else gives these thoughts a try before I'm able to, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

With Regards,
Flynn

Savage Kingmaker: Exploring Hexes...

Good Morning, All:

Sorry for the side trek, but I felt the need to chat about something else for a post or two. I've been playing most of the summer in a Kingmaker campaign using the Pathfinder rules. While I've enjoyed the experience, I still find the D20 System, even in its Pathfinder incarnation, to be overly complicated. While I'd run MyD20 Light if I had to Referee a D&D-like system again, right now my gaming group prefers Savage Worlds. Being the itinerate tinkerer that I am, I have recently been considering how to convert the basic experience of exploration and kingdom building to Savage Worlds. Below are some of my initial thoughts, in case you are interested.

Travel Times
While Pathfinder breaks down travel times by the party's speed on multiple levels, I prefer the more simplified approach promoted by Savage Worlds. In essence, I'd probably do something like this:

Table: Travel Times

Terrain (Obstacles)	Cross The Hex	Explore the Hex
Grasslands/Plains/Road (Unobstructed)	1/2 Day	1 Day
Forest/Hills (Average)	1 Day	2 Days
Mountains/Swamps (Difficult)	1 Day	3 Days

Note: Characters moving at less than Pace 6 must make a Vigor roll to avoid taking a level of Fatigue from pushing themselves to make that distance. Characters (or mounted characters) moving at a Pace of 9 or higher may half the time listed in the table above.

Order of Exploration
Whenever characters explore an unknown region, I would suggest the following order of operations.

1. Entering The Hex: When entering the hex, the characters should become aware of any landmark sites. These are sites that can be seen at a great distance on the horizon, such as cities, sizable geographic landmarks or even large structures. The landmark site can be avoided or explored at the explorers' desire.
2. In addition, the GM should check for Wandering Monsters upon entering a hex, as well as every day or night spent exploring or camping in the hex. (Alternately, you could use a Survival check to avoid such encounters, if you prefer that system, which I personally do. For details, check out Fantasy Flight Games' Wildscape.)
3. Exploring The Hex: If the characters take the time to explore the hex, the characters should automatically become aware of any standard sites. Standard sites are somewhat secluded, but are immediately identifiable when the explorers come within bow shot range, if not sooner.
4. In addition, if the characters succeed in a Notice skill check while exploring the hex, they discover any hidden sites that might exist in the hex. Hidden sites are those that are very secluded or hidden, and thus not immediately obvious, even when within bow shot range.

I have yet to tackle "savaging" the Kingdom Building rules, but I've got some thoughts. I'll probably post something later if my thoughts coalesce. In the meantime, enjoy!

Happy Savaging,
Flynn