Savage Odyssey Prime: Three Dimensions Serving As Wilderness...

Good Afternoon, All:

To continue our tour of a sandbox setting for Savage Odyssey Prime campaign, I have turned my eye toward Wilderness Encounters. This collection focuses on dimensions that predominately wilderness areas, rich with resources for possible exploitation, and thus could be classified as Resources in a proper sandbox campaign setting:

Avalon (-16, 73, 42, -48, -81, 0): Standard gravity; Standard atmosphere; Wet world; Population 1,234,597,341 (80% Human, 8% Elves, 6% Dwarves, 6% Other); Feudalism; Medieval technology; Fantasy, European, Arcane.
Avalon resembles a living, breathing world taken almost directly out of cheap fantasy novels. A wide variety of mythical creatures inhabit the wilderness that stretches between isolated kingdoms, and local laws of physics support the practice of magical spells and talismans. While predominately human, other sentient races exist on the periphery of civilization, another obstacle for Odyssey Teams travelling from portal sites to nearby settlements.

Darwin (-54, -19, 66, -26, -21, -1): Standard gravity; Standard atmosphere; Wet world; Population 1,654,654 (100% Proto-human); Dictatorship; Primitive technology; New Frontier, Prehistoric, Environmental.
Unlike our own Earth's timeline, the dinosaurs never became extinct on Darwin, and now exist side by side with primitive proto-humans. Aside from the megafauna that ravage the lands, Darwin is noted for the presence of a small outpost constructed by an Odyssey Team stranded in this dimension several years in the past through a miscalculation on an early attempt to connect to this dimension.

Rancor (-55, -83, -44, 87, -83, 2): High gravity; Dense atmosphere; Wet world; Population 6,157 (100% Human); Colony; Stellar technology; New Frontier, North American, Global Crisis.
Rancor is a tumultuous world, constantly shifting due to very active plate tectonics, high tidal forces from its two moons, and a large amount of radioactive materials. Everything on the planet is predatory, plant or animal, and is capable of killing an unwary human instantly. To make matters worse, the entire planet seems driven to kill humans. In the midst of this harsh environment, a single colony of off-worlders attempt to fight off the local wildlife as they mine the area for radioactive ore.

I believe that the above will offer some colorful and interesting environments for purposes of game play. After all, a world of dinosaurs, a world of fantasy creatures and a world of super-aggressive human-hating wildlife all offer some unique opportunities, I hope. Imagine trying to survive a week on one of these worlds before the portal opens up again and you can return.

More Later,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime: Three Dimensions Serving As Lairs...

Good Afternoon, All:

Now that I have a few basics down regarding the big movers and shakers of my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign, I feel that I can move forward with the creation of a few dimensions that could be found on the gate map that the PCs will find during the first adventure. This collection focuses on dimensions that are dangerous to exploring Odyssey Teams, and thus could be classified as Lairs in a proper sandbox campaign setting:

Naacali (57, -2, -90, 62, -35, 3): Standard gravity; Standard atmosphere; Waterworld; Population 65,397,259 (100% Human); Theocracy; Industrial technology; Mysticism/Religious, Central/South America, Military Conflict.
Steeped in Mayan and Incan cultures, the people of Naacali have recently ended their first World War over religious differences, destroying major cultural centers and driving pockets of resistance into hiding. A program of systematic locating and destroying other religions still continues in these post-War days, and any, including Odyssey Team members, who do not observe or recognize the bloodthirsty state religion are hunting, tried and executed for religious heresy.

Plagueworld (97, 44, 75, -82, -41, -1): Standard gravity; Standard atmosphere; Wet world; Population 8,562 living (Human), 5,567,198,738 non-living (Zombies); Anarchy; Industrial technology; Post-Apocalyptic, North American, Global Crisis.
A few years before an Odyssey Team first contacted this world, a virulent super-plague struck the vast majority of the population into Zombies. Now, the last few living humans struggle to survive against the onslaught of the raging Zombie forces. Of course, should a team successfully locate a haven of humanity, their leaders will demand safety for their people if they ever discover the truth behind the Odyssey Team's origins.

Shaggai (-55, -83, -44, 87, -83, 2): Low gravity; Thin atmosphere; Wet world; Population 9,145,658 (82% Shan, 17% Lith, 1% Other); Isolated hive-minds; Stellar technology; Exotic/Surreal, Non-human/Alien, Dominant Species.
The world of Shaggai is obviously a dying world peopled by the Shan and the Lith, native races that control animals and other creatures psychically through a parasitic arrangement. Having discovered portal technology, the people of Shaggai have collected species from numerous other dimensions for study and evaluation. The resulting menagerie of sentient and non-sentient creatures rivals any other similar preserve that Odyssey Teams might encounter over the course of their mission. Ultimately, the parasitic Hive-Lords of Shaggai are seeking suitable hosts possessing a physiology not unlike the Builders themselves, in order to leave their own dying world.

I'm hoping that the above will provide some interesting experiences for the players, as well as their characters. I'm sure that other "Lair" dimensions will provide equally challenging encounters as the Od Teams try to survive a week under such unusual circumstances.

More Later,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime: Generic Random Encounter Table Template...

Good Afternoon, My Friends:

In my Savage Odyssey Prime setting, I can foresee that there will be plenty of opportunities for random encounters. Most of the worlds will not be filled with fantasy wildlife, which means that my usual random encounter tables are out. Instead, I feel the need to come up with some non-magical generic ones. For lack of a better option, I think I'll use the following template:

Table: Generic Random Encounter

2d6	Encounter
2	Local Horror
3	Flyer
4	Animal
5	Animal
6	Humanoid
7	Humanoid
8	Humanoid
9	Animal
10	Animal
11	Vermin
12	Special

The entries are defined below:

• Animal: This entry indicates some specimen of the local wildlife. This could be a group of pack hunters or a single lone predator. It could be a large herbivore, a heard of grazers or a stalking pouncer. This should be a creature common to the area, and found in abundance.
• Flyer: Almost all areas are accessible to flying creatures. This entry indicates either a single flyer, or a flock of them.
• Humanoid: This section is a catch-all for any humanoid race. This usually indicates local humans, but on worlds with a diverse set of races or whose native race is not human, this entry covers those possibilities.
• Local Horror: This option represents the apex predator of the region, the hell beast that destroys parties, the Big Nasty that makes you thankful for having grenades. Here there be dragons, or the local equivalent.
• Vermin: This entry covers the basic pests, swarms and other noxious, objectionable or disgusting creatures that are difficult to control.
• Special: This entry allows for the weird, the unusual or the specially prepared encounter. This is the basic "GM Option" result. If the GM has nothing he wants to do with this result, he can always reroll.

With this in hand, I can create a small list of each encounter type for a given location, and have a choice on hand for those times when the party has a random encounter during the course of play. Woohoo!

More Later,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime Factions: Rival Governments...

Good Afternoon, All:

The fifth and last group I'd like to develop publicly for my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign involves Rival Governments. While FEMA, the organization that supports Project Odyssey, is harangued by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, particularly the United States House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations, within the domestic political arena of hidden government agency agendas, the project's biggest challengers on our own world are actually other nations.

Based on my review of the material of the core rulebook, and some calculations based on the relative gross national product of each nation, these countries are known to the US as having Project Odyssey-style programs: United States (10 operating rings), Great Britain (1 operating ring), Japan (4 operating rings), Canada (1 operating ring), Israel (1 ring, almost operational), Germany (2 operating rings), Brazil (1 operating ring) and Australia (1 operating ring).

The United States government suspects that the following countries support Project Odyssey-style programs, but these rumors are currently unverified: China (4 operating rings), North Korea (1 operating ring) and Russia (1 operating ring).

Given these figures, it is easy to imagine that the Odyssey Teams might occasionally encounter an off-world team from one of these rivals. In addition, members of these rival governments may also be involved in local affairs, leading to interaction with the Damage Control (DamCon) Teams.

Rival Governments

Brief Description: Like the government of the United States, other governments have learned of the existence of both the Doomsday asteroid and the Sherman Ring, and are exploring other options. Some are seeking ways to deal with the asteroid, while others are following America's example in seeking a new home for elite members of their population. Similarly, these rival governments tend to possess their own variations of Odyssey Teams and Damage Control Teams. The generic stats provided below should work for most instances.

Encounter Groups: These are common encounter groups for this type of encounter.

• Novice: 5 Soldiers, 1 Squad Leader.
• Seasoned: 10 Soldiers, 2 Squad Leaders, 1 Commander.
• Veteran: 20 Soldiers, 4 Squad Leaders, 1 Specialist, 1 Commander.

Stat Blocks: The following stats are provided as examples for inspiration. Please adjust as needed to fit your given scenario.

Soldier
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Shooting d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 7(2); Toughness: 7(2) [9(4) vs Bullets]
Gear: Auto-pistol (Dmg 2d6, AP1; Rng 12/24/48; ROF 1; Shots 15; SA); Auto-pistol ammo (x4 clips); Night vision goggles; Radio (with throat microphone); Kevlar (+2 Armor, +4 vs bullets; covers torso); Survival knife (Dmg Str+d4; Rng 3/6/12; ROF 1); Tactical helmet (+1 Armor; covers head); Backpack (first aid kit, sleeping bag, 10 days rations).

Squad Leader (WC)
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Healing d4, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Battle) d4, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Shooting d6, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8(2) [10(4) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving)
Gear: Auto-pistol (Dmg 2d6, AP1; Rng 12/24/48; ROF 1; Shots 15; SA); Auto-pistol ammo (x4 clips); Night vision goggles; Radio (with throat microphone); Kevlar (+2 Armor, +4 vs bullets; covers torso); Survival knife (Dmg Str+d4; Rng 3/6/12; ROF 1); Tactical helmet (+1 Armor; covers head); Backpack (first aid kit, sleeping bag, 10 days rations); Binoculars (rangefinding).

Specialist (WC)
Abilities: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Knowledge (Demolitions) d6, Notice d8+2, Repair d4, Shooting d10, Stealth d6
Pace: 8 (+1d10 running); Parry: 5; Toughness: 7(2) [9(4) vs Bullets]
Edges: Alertness (+2 Notice), Fleet-Footed (+2 Pace, d10 running), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving), Quick (redraw Initiative on 5 or less), Steady Hands (ignore unstable platform penalty)
Gear: Assault Rifle with laser sight (Dmg 2d10, AP 2; Rng 24/48/96; ROF 3; Shots 30); Assault rifle ammo (x4 clips); Auto-pistol (Dmg 2d6, AP1; Rng 12/24/48; ROF 1; Shots 15; SA); Auto-pistol ammo (x4 clips); Night vision goggles; Radio (with throat microphone); Ranger armor (+2 Armor, +4 vs bullets; covers torso); Survival knife (Dmg Str+d4; Rng 3/6/12; ROF 1); Tactical helmet (+1 Armor; covers head); Backpack (first aid kit, sleeping bag, 10 days rations); Demolitions Kit (4 lbs C4 Explosive).

Commander (WC)
Abilities: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d10, Healing d4, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Shooting d10
Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9(2) [11(4) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), Command Presence (command radius is 10 squares), First Strike (see Improved First Strike), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving), Quick (redraw Initiative on 5 or less), Tactician (make a Knowledge (Battle) roll at the beginning of a fight to get an Action Card per success and raise; these may be given to any allies throughout the course of the battle)
Gear: Auto-pistol (Dmg 2d6, AP1; Rng 12/24/48; ROF 1; Shots 15; SA); Auto-pistol ammo (x4 clips); Night vision goggles; Portal monitor (wrist unit); Radio (with throat microphone); Kevlar (+2 Armor, +4 vs bullets; covers torso); Survival knife (Dmg Str+d4; Rng 3/6/12; ROF 1); Tactical helmet (+1 Armor; covers head); Backpack (first aid kit, sleeping bag, 10 days rations); Binoculars (rangefinding); Thermal imaging goggles.

Encounter Ideas: Here are six different scenarios related to this encounter type.

1. The Rival Government Team is preparing to set an ambush when the party comes upon the scene.
2. The Rival Government Team is interrogating some locals for information related to their mission.
3. The Rival Government Team has recovered sensitive material, and are returning to their portal site or extraction site when the party encounters them.
4. The Rival Government Team are engaging in the recovery of sensitive material, perhaps the very same thing the party is after.
5. The Rival Government Team is assaulting a local installation overtly, with an apparent goal of destruction and mayhem in mind.
6. The Rival Government Team is intentionally hunting down the party, with orders to kill one or more of them.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime Factions: False Gods, or Lords of the Iron Ring...

Good Afternoon, All:

The fourth group I'd like to develop for my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign are the False Gods. These are dictators who obtain and then maintain their position of power using cached technology left behind by the Builders. As a back-story, so that they provide a common front for my players to explore over the course of several adventures, I've made the assumption that these men were originally mercenaries who discovered the tech cache on a mission. Now, bound together by the commander's control of the cache as well as belonging to his mercenary company, these technologically elevated dictators have gone forth and conquered regions in other dimensions in the name of the Iron Ring.

Lords of the Iron Ring

Brief Description: The Lords of the Iron Ring are a disparate band of mercenaries who are using a cache of Builder technology to control worlds. Presenting themselves as False Gods to more primitive tribes, the Lords of the Iron Ring are ultimately little more than glorified charlatans and bullies. However, the weapons they bear are extremely powerful, and are particularly intimidating to less advanced cultures.

Encounter Groups: These are common encounter groups for this type of encounter.

• Novice: 5 Local Tribesmen, 1 Sergeant.
• Seasoned: 10 Local Tribesmen, 2 Sergeants, 1 Lieutenant.
• Veteran: 20 Local Tribesmen, 5 Sergeants, 2 Lieutenants.

Stat Blocks: The following stats are provided as examples for inspiration. Please adjust as needed to fit your preferred gaming system and style.

Local Tribesman
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Survival d6, Throwing d6, Tracking d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 7(2); Toughness: 6(1) [8(3) vs Ranged]
Gear: Spear (Str+d6), Leather or hide armor (+1 Toughness), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Javelin (x2, Str+d6, Rng 3/6/12, RoF 1)

Sergeant (WC)
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Shooting d6, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8(2) [10(4) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving)
Gear: Laser Pistol (2d6, Rng 15/30/60, RoF 1, Shots 12, Semi-Auto), Dagger (Str+d4), Kevlar (+2 Toughness, +4 vs Bullets), Pulse Grenade (x2, Dmg 3d6 MBT, Rng 5/10/20, ROF 1, Shots 1), Smoke Grenade (x1, Dmg obscurement, MBT; Rng 5/10/20; ROF 1; Shots --; -4 Notice and attacks)

Lieutenant (WC)
Abilities: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Shooting d10, Throwing d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9(2) [11(4) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), Command Presence (command radius is 10 squares), First Strike (see Improved First Strike), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving), Quick (redraw Initiative on 5 or less), Tactician (make a Knowledge (Battle) roll at the beginning of a fight to get an Action Card per success and raise; these may be given to any allies throughout the course of the battle)
Gear: Laser Rifle (3d6 AP 4, Rng 24/48/96, RoF 1, Shots 100, Auto), Dagger (Str+d4), Kevlar (+2 Toughness, +4 vs Bullets), Pulse Grenade (x2, Dmg 3d6 MBT, Rng 5/10/20, ROF 1, Shots 1), Smoke Grenade (x1, Dmg obscurement, MBT; Rng 5/10/20; ROF 1; Shots --; -4 Notice and attacks)

Encounter Ideas: Here are six different scenarios related to this encounter type.

1. The Iron Ring patrol is harassing some local citizens when the party comes upon the scene.
2. The Iron Ring patrol is directing natives in the construction of a temple or shrine to this world's highest ranking Iron Ring officer, portraying the Lord of the Iron Ring as a god to be worshiped.
3. The Iron Ring patrol has recovered broken Builder technology, and are returning to their portal site, when the party encounters them.
4. The Iron Ring patrol is escorting a pilgrimage bearing tribute to the local Lord of the Iron Ring, including precious metals and "sacrificial virgins".
5. The Iron Ring patrol is performing a demonstration of their "divine power", seeking to convert the local population, when the party comes upon the scene.
6. The Iron Ring patrol challenges the party, demanding their worship and obedience in the name of the Lord of the Iron Ring.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime Factions: Berserkers of the Final War...

Good Afternoon, All:

The third group I'd like to develop for my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign will be the Berserkers. During the final war between the Builders and their as-yet-unnamed enemy, the Builders constructed semi-intelligent war machines that they turned loose on their enemy. When the Final War had ended, most were recovered and deactivated. Some of these machines, however, decided that all Builders and other organic lifeforms also needed to be destroyed, not just the original enemy. Most have been hunted down, but occasionally, one is found and reactivated, which starts another wave of assaults as the Berserkers replicate themselves using available technologies and continue a war that has now long past.

Berserkers

Brief Description: The Berserkers are the Ultimate Weapon that brought about the end of the Final War between the Builders and the Enemy. They are self-replicating, self-aware war machines with a single built-in imperative: destroy all organic lifeforms. These constructs come in various sizes, from small drones to starships and factories. Berserkers are most often encountered in the form of drone squadrons or patrols.

Encounter Groups: These are common encounter groups for this type of encounter.

• Novice: 5 Light Drones, 1 Sentry Drone.
• Seasoned: 10 Light Drones, 2 Sentry Drones, 1 Assault Drone.
• Veteran: 20 Light Drones, 5 Sentry Drones, 2 Assault Drones.

Stat Blocks: The following stats are provided as examples for inspiration. Please adjust as needed to fit your preferred gaming system and style.

Light Drone
Abilities: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6
Pace: -- (see Flight); Parry: 5; Toughness: 6(2)
Special Abilities:

• Armor +2: Metal-ceramic casing.
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; no additional damage from called shots; constructs do not suffer from poison or disease.
• Fearless: Drones are immune to fear and Intimidation.
• Flight: Pace 6, Climb 3.
• Laser, Small: 2d6 AP 4, Rng 12/24/48, RoF 1, Shots 50, Semi-Auto.
• Size -1
• Tentacular Appendage: Str+d4.

Sentry Drone (WC)
Abilities: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10(4)
Special Abilities:

• Armor +4: Advanced metal-ceramic casing.
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; no additional damage from called shots; constructs do not suffer from poison or disease. Construct wild cards do not suffer wound penalties.
• Fearless: Drones are immune to fear and Intimidation.
• Laser, Medium: 2d8 AP 4, Rng 24/48/96, RoF 1, Shots 50, Auto, 3RB.
• Mechanical Arms: Two attacks (Str+d6).

Assault Drone (WC)
Abilities: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d10, Shooting d10
Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 14(4)
Special Abilities:

• Armor +4: Advanced metal-ceramic casing.
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; no additional damage from called shots; constructs do not suffer from poison or disease. Construct wild cards do not suffer wound penalties.
• Fearless: Drones are immune to fear and Intimidation.
• Laser, Heavy: 3d6 AP 4, Rng 24/48/96, RoF 1, Shots 100, Auto.
• Mechanical Arms: Two attacks (Str+d8).
• Plasma Blast: The Assault Drone can launch a Plasma Blast using a Shooting skill check that inflicts 3d6 damage within a Medium Burst Template, with a Range of 24/48/96. Once used, the Assault Drone cannot launch another blast for 1d4 rounds, as the plasma generator recharges. A Plasma Blast counts as a Heavy Weapon.
• Size +3

Encounter Ideas: Here are six different scenarios related to this encounter type.

1. The Berserkers are attacking native organic lifeforms when the party comes upon the scene.
2. The Berserkers are protecting their portal site and accumulated supplies, indicating that they are preparing to establish a foothold in this dimension, when the party discovers them.
3. The Berserkers are conducting a search of the region, looking intensely for something, when the party encounters them.
4. The Berserkers are returning to the portal site after an unsuccessful raid against a nearby settlement.
5. The Berserkers are returning to the portal site after a successful raid against a nearby settlement, and are laden with accumulated resources and possibly prisoners.
6. The Berserkers challenge the party, demanding their identification and reasons for operating outside standard service protocols.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime Factions: Order of Zion...

Good Afternoon, All:

The second group I'd like to develop for my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign will be the Order of Zion. The Zionists are a multi-world cabal of plane-travelling spellcasters with a hidden agenda. They utilize portal magic to open gates to other worlds in pursuit of their goals, and didn't take kindly to those who would intrude on the worlds they claim as their own.

Order of Zion

Brief Description: The Order of Zion are, at their core, a mystical cabal of Archmages specialized in portal magic. They are working together in pursuit of a secret agenda, claiming dimensions as their own as magical tyrants. Their numbers are growing swiftly, as the Zionists recruit the brightest and most competent locals as apprentices into their order. The transformative nature of their Initiation into the Order insures loyalty and devotion to the secret Zionist agenda over any previous goals an Apprentice might have once held.

Encounter Groups: These are common encounter groups for this type of encounter.

• Novice: 5 Guardians, 1 Zionist Apprentice.
• Seasoned: 10 Guardians, 2 Zionist Apprentices, 1 Zionist Magelord.
• Veteran: 20 Guardians, 5 Zionist Apprentices, 2 Zionist Magelords.

Stat Blocks: The following stats are provided as examples for inspiration. Please adjust as needed to fit your preferred gaming system and style.

Guardian
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 7(2); Toughness: 7(2) [9(4) vs Ranged]
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6), Chain mail (+2 Toughness), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Light Crossbow (2d6 AP 2, Rng 15/30/60, RoF 1, Reload 1)

Zionist Apprentice (WC)
Abilities: Agility d4, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Fighting d4, Investigation d6, Knowledge (Arcana) d6, Knowledge (Rituals) d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Spellcasting d10, Taunt d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), New Power, Power Points
Gear: Dagger (Str+d4), Staff of Zion (10 Power Points: Deflection, Burst), Potion of Healing (recovers one wound)
Spells: 15 Power Points; Blind or Boost/Lower Trait, Bolt, Confusion or Entangle, Detect/Conceal Arcana or Environmental Protection

Zionist Magelord (WC)
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Investigation d8, Knowledge (Arcana) d10, Knowledge (Rituals) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Spellcasting d12, Taunt d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7(2)
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), New Power (x5), Power Points (x3)
Gear: +1 Dagger (Str+d4), Greater Staff of Zion (15 Power Points: Deflection, Blast, Burst), Improved Potion of Healing (recovers two wounds), Magelord's Ring (grants +2 Toughness to unarmored wearer)
Spells: 25 Power Points; Boost/Lower Trait, Bolt, Dispel, Detect/Conceal Arcana, Entangle, Environmental Protection, Fear, Teleport

Encounter Ideas: Here are six different scenarios related to this encounter type.

1. The Zionists are ransacking a library or institute of learning when the party comes upon them.
2. The Zionists are preparing for a large portal ritual when the party stumbles on the scene.
3. The Zionists are searching the region, looking intensely for something, when the party encounters them.
4. The Zionists are returning to their encampment after an unsuccessful raid against a nearby settlement.
5. The Zionists are returning to their encampment laden with valuable goods and potentially arcane items after a successful raid against a nearby settlement.
6. The Zionists challenge the party, demanding tribute to avoid unwanted attention from their spellcasters.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime Factions: Legions of Olympus...

Good Afternoon, All:

I feel the need to detail a few of the factions that I'm going to introduce in my Savage Odyssey Prime game. Having the basics ready ahead of time will help me feel more prepared for the campaign as a whole. After some thought and digging around on the Internet, I decided that the best way to handle factions would be to write them up in a manner similar to what I used for the Sandbox Encounters back in April. The only big difference here is that I'm going to be using Savage Worlds stats instead of Swords and Wizardry.

Starting with the suggestions I've made for enemies, I think I'll give each a shot in terms of development. If I can stat them out and come up with encounter groups and ideas, then they can stay in the mix. Otherwise, the idea gets tossed and I'll create something else in its place.

I will share a few of my creations in this blog for the purposes of getting feedback. Obviously, my players can read this just as easily as anyone else. With that in mind, I'm going to save some of these for my personal notes, so as not to spoil all of the surprises for them.

The first group I'd like to develop will be the Legions of Olympus. These armies are formed from Roman soldiers who have begun to conquer other worlds by using a portal device in their own dimension, leading to an alternate history. Under the banner of Alexander the Great, these Romans have been quite successful, and have picked up the basics of guns and gunpowder from one of the first worlds they conquered.

Legions of Olympus

Brief Description: The Legions of Olympus come from another dimension similar to our Earth, but whose timeline is about 2400 years prior to ours. Their timeline diverted significantly from ours when they discovered portal technology among some Builder remains, and began invading other dimensions. The Legions of Olympus now govern portions of several dimensions, including one which has provided the Legions with limited access to guns and gunpowder.

Encounter Groups: These are common encounter groups for this type of encounter.

• Novice: 8 Olympian Legionaries, 1 Olympian Decanus.
• Seasoned: 24 Olympian Legionaries, 3 Olympian Decani, 1 Olympian Optio.
• Veteran: 48 Olympian Legionaries, 6 Olympian Decani, 2 Olypic Optii, 1 Olympian Centurion.

Stat Blocks: The following stats are provided as examples for inspiration. Please adjust as needed to fit your preferred gaming system and style.

Olympian Legionary
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Shooting d4, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 7(2); Toughness: 7(2) [9(4) vs Ranged]
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6), Chain mail (+2 Toughness), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Javelin (x2, Str+d6, Rng 3/6/12, RoF 1)

Olympian Decanus
Abilities: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Shooting d6, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 8(2); Toughness: 8(2) [10(4) vs Ranged]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), First Strike (may attack one foe who moves adjacent)
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6), Chain mail (+2 Toughness), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Revolver (2d6+1 AP 1, Rng 12/24/48, RoF 1, Shots 6, Revolver), Frag Grenade (x2, Dmg 3d6 MBT, Rng 5/10/20, ROF 1, Shots 1)

Olympian Optio (WC)
Abilities: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Knowledge (Battle) d6, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Shooting d8, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 8(2); Toughness: 8(2) [10(4) vs Ranged, 12(6) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), First Strike (may attack one foe who moves adjacent), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving), Tactician (make a Knowledge (Battle) roll at the beginning of a fight to get an Action Card per success and raise; these may be given to any allies throughout the course of the battle)
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6), Kevlar (+2 Toughness, +4 vs Bullets), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Revolver (2d6+1 AP 1, Rng 12/24/48, RoF 1, Shots 6, Revolver), Frag Grenade (x2, Dmg 3d6 MBT, Rng 5/10/20, ROF 1, Shots 1)

Olympian Centurion (WC)
Abilities: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d10, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Shooting d10, Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 9(2); Toughness: 9(2) [11(4) vs Ranged, 13(6) vs Bullets]
Edges: Command (allies gain +1 to recover from Shaken), Command Presence (command radius is 10 squares), First Strike (see Improved First Strike), Marksman (+2 Shooting if not moving), Quick (redraw Initiative on 5 or less), Tactician (make a Knowledge (Battle) roll at the beginning of a fight to get an Action Card per success and raise; these may be given to any allies throughout the course of the battle)
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6), Kevlar (+2 Toughness, +4 vs Bullets), Large shield (+2 Parry, +2 Toughness vs ranged, Shield bash Str+d6), Revolver (2d6+1 AP 1, Rng 12/24/48, RoF 1, Shots 6, Revolver), Frag Grenade (x2, Dmg 3d6 MBT, Rng 5/10/20, ROF 1, Shots 1)

Encounter Ideas: Here are six different scenarios related to this encounter type.

1. The Legionaries are reveling after a recent victory when the party comes upon them.
2. The Legionaries are hard at work, preparing a site to serve as the encampment for a larger military unit that will be arriving within the day.
3. The Legionaries are patrolling the region when the party encounters them.
4. The Legionaries are returning to their encampment after an unsuccessful strike against a nearby settlement.
5. The Legionaries are transporting prisoners to the site of "La Porta" and beyond to their home dimension.
6. The Legionaries challenge the party, demanding tribute to avoid unwanted attention from these Roman warriors.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime: Enemies, Enemies Everywhere...

Good Afternoon, All:

Before I can get too far into the development of my Savage Odyssey Prime setting, I feel like I need to know a little bit about who the big players are going to be. There are a lot of ideas that I have for local bad guys and that sort of thing. However, when it comes to villains that the Odyssey or Damage Control teams might interact with on multiple worlds (including our own Earth), it helps to have some ideas laid out at the beginning of the game. You may never use them all, of course, but having them gives you fodder for adventure ideas.

Taking some cues from Stargate SG-1, a lot of the mythology of the game can come from one source that is never addressed in the core rulebook: Who build the Sherman Ring, the device that opened other dimensions to us for exploration? For lack of a better term, I'm going to call them the Builders. Whoever or whatever the Builders are, their interactions with themselves (internal factions) and with other races (external factions) can provide a lot of background for adventure scenarios.

While the Builders themselves aren't going to be the Bad Guys, I imagine that others who have stumbled onto their technology would be among the most commonly encountered multi-world groups. For example, a Trade Coalition that uses the portals to raid other worlds for goods, resources and even slaves would make for a decent enemy. A group of dictators bound by their access and their use of stolen Builder technology to pose as False Gods would be another enemy group to meet. The concept of a Rogue Builder who somehow survived to the present day (or travelled through time via a portal device) makes for an interesting enemy as well. Maybe the Builders had a war going on with someone, and the Enemy's Descendants are still around and making trouble. If that ancient war had escalated into super weapons, then Berserkers or Drones might be another force to be reckoned with. Perhaps a significantly less advanced society stumbled upon a working portal device. In that case, maybe there's a plane-hopping variant of Alexander the Great, intent on conquering the realms beyond "La Porta" and extending his Great Roman Empire to other worlds. Who knows?

And the Builders don't have to be the source of all of the conflicts. What about an Enemy Government here on Earth, also engaged in their own portal program using stolen technology? Or what about another source of Dimension Travelers with their own reasons to push out onto other worlds, perhaps even including Earth? (Of course, that last one would probably want to leave Earth once they find out about the asteroid, but that's another issue.) What about a race of Psionic Masters who use their psionic gifts to travel between dimensions, and their extensive powers of mind control to take over the civilizations they encounter? What if a Cabal of Archmages used portal magic to open gates to other worlds for their own personal needs, and didn't take kindly to those who would intrude on the worlds they claim as their own?

I'm sure that there are other options and opportunities to explore in the setting that will evolve out of play. What might start as a simple "Lair" world might suddenly take on greater significance in the eyes of the players. When that happens, I know I've got a winner. I don't mind doing a little rewrite on the background here and there, so long as I haven't introduced material as yet. The key is to make the setting as consistent as possible, from the players' perspective. Oh, and as fun as possible, too.

Looking Forward To It,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime: The World of Verne...

Good Afternoon, My Friends:

My players' second choice for a campaign style has become my first choice for a location to develop. A few wanted to play in a steampunk setting with Sci-Fi elements. The writings of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne immediately jumped to mind, having been written in that particular era. So, while the locals probably call their world Earth (hence the "lka" abbreviation below, meaning "locally known as"), the Odyssey Teams will likely call it by the nickname "Verne". Here's a brief overview of Verne:

Verne, lka Earth (72, 55, 48, 28, -7, 0): Standard gravity; Standard atmosphere; Wet world; Population 1,516,025,314 (99%+ human); Balkanized government; Pre-stellar technology; Futuristic, Victorian, Steampunk.
The Earth variant known as Verne shares much in common with the Victorian Era of our Earth, with two primary exceptions. First, their Earth is being invaded by the inhabitants of their Mars. Second, much of the advanced technology possessed by the locals is based on an unusual mixture of steam power and alien technology. At the point of Odyssey Prime's first contact with Verne, the Martians have already established their initial beachhead on the Earth's surface, and the people of Verne have managed to fight them to a standstill using technology reverse-engineered from captured Martian tech and powered by steam.

In order to generate the coordinates, I've written a small script that will generate a string of five numbers that represent a range from -100 to 100, followed by a final number that ranges from -5 to 5. This final number determines the basic quantum level of the dimension, and can impact the difficulty of properly aiming a portal safely to that dimension. The rest, actually, is just window dressing, but helps to give flavor to the setting. In game, they reference the first five dimensions of some esoteric parallel universe theory, probably called the Kuroyoshi Many-Worlds Variant, from which the Sherman Ring automatically extrapolates to determine the final coordinates. The quantum level determines a more substantial resonance level, which the techs call a dimension's quantum level. This number could number into the same range as the first five values in theory, but practically, no one has ever returned from anything beyond five values higher or lower than the baseline that is our universe.

For the record, the coordinates of our universe are (0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0). Of course, that's an artificial designation for a specific setting within the Sherman Ring. Other portals, including Sherman Rings found elsewhere, will not be base-lined to the same point of origin as our own. Extreme caution should be taken when initiating a window between worlds from a portal device that is not of our own construction.

Verne has the distinction of being the first destination that the player-characters will visit. It offers all the usual stuff that a first adventure should: fun and excitement, strong campaign flavor, and at least three different options for adventuring in the future. In addition, at least two of the big villains from the Hall of Infamy will be referenced in a meaningful way. And yes, the characters should find the gate map over the course of that first adventure. The map gives them potential locations and destinations, which gives them opportunities to just explore the wilderness, if that's their choice.

Before I can really get too deep into campaign development, I really think I need to figure out the basic Hall of Infamy. Who are my major bad guys, and what are their goals within the context of the campaign setting? That will be the focus of my next post or two.

More Later,
Flynn

Savage Odyssey Prime: Dimension Notes Template...

Good Afternoon, All:

In order to capture the details of a world that I create for use in my Savage Odyssey Prime campaign, I needed a simple template that I could fairly easily remember. Traveller immediately came to the rescue. By looking at the elements of Traveller's Universal World Profile, I came up with the following basic template:

World Name (Coordinates): Local Gravity (none, low, standard, high, extreme); Local Atmosphere (none, trace, thin, standard, dense, corrosive); Local Hydrographics (desert, dry, wet, waterworld); Local Sentient Population (population, followed by major race(s)); Local Government (by type); Local Technology Level (primitive, classical, medieval, renaissance, industrial, pre-stellar, stellar, high stellar); World Tags.
The template is generally followed by a brief paragraph outlining the specifics of the location that should prove useful in resolving an Odyssey Team's mission.

Most of these will be fairly standard on the physical stats, because the government isn't going to want to move colonists to worlds that cannot easily support life, unless there's a considerable reason for doing so. What really makes worlds stand out from one another is going to be the social details, in many cases. The elements of the genre (or genres) that influence the world's flavor, the type of culture or society, and the special hooks and twists (noted as World Tags above) will really help PCs identify each world/location as a distinct experience.

This template may change as I try to put it to work over the next few days. Nothing really tests a template, though, like actual use. I'm going to try writing up a few sample dimensions using the template, and post them here for your thoughts.

With Regards,
Flynn