Tuesday 29 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 26: Do you have orphans right now!?

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

Piracy! It's a crime! You wouldn't steal an orphan, would you..? It's an otter disgrace tonight in Episode 026: Do you have orphans right now!?.

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of Castaways)
  5. Episode 023: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking (start of Nautical Shenanigans)

Monday 28 November 2022

The Vampire Next Door

"A game for bold and meddling kids".

I picked up a copy of Cat Elm's The Vampire Next Door ages ago, but only recently had the opportunity to actually run it. I've now run it twice - once for an actual one-shot (about 2 hours), and once for a two-part game that ran to roughly 3 hours.

I don't have a bad word to say about it.

Sunday 27 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 25: My bad, almost committed murder

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

Let the bullying commence! I accidentally begin my extended reign of Jaal-terrorising with the advent of the Tiny. Wooden. Statues... in Episode 025: My bad, almost committed murder.

Special thanks to Marche Towers Art for the gorgeous Necropolitans commission he did for us, he was a pleasure to work with and I'm delighted with the result.

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of Castaways)
  5. Episode 023: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking (start of Nautical Shenanigans)

Saturday 26 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 24: The weasel has just drunk the last of the mimic

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

In this episode, we discover the whole drowning and tentacles business wasn't the last bit of misery to emerge from that shipwreck. You can probably make some educated guessses about what comes next, in Episode 024: The weasel has just drunk the last of the mimic.

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of the Castaways arc of the adventure)
  5. Episode 023: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking (start of the Nautical Shenanigans arc of the adventure)

Friday 25 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 23: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

In this episode, at long last, the Necropolitans are rescued from the desert (jungle) island! They embark on a series of nautical adventures which are certainly not due to me not having got round to reading the second book yet. Seaquakes and shipwrecks ahoy! in Episode 023: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of the Castaways arc of the adventure)
  5. Episode 023: Everyone knows that mummy octopi are not scared of cooking

Wednesday 23 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 22: Allow us to inspect that which is in your hole

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

The Necropolitans finally uncover the ancient and exciting secrets of the temple, revealing the location of a lost city that promises absolutely fabulous wealth and definitely no unstoppably awful monsters. They're more concerned with being stuck on this island and the whereabouts of that missing serpent lady, though... find out more, in Episode 022: Allow us to inspect that which is in your hole

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of the Castaways arc of the adventure)

Tuesday 22 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 21: She stretches over two pages

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

Previously-unheard content emerges Lazarus-like from the mists, as we hear what actually went down in the lost Temple of the Vampire God or whatever. An extremely cordial exchange occurs between the wise and thoughtful scholar and these undead brutes, descending inevitably into farce and brutality, in Episode 021: She stretches over two pages

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of the Castaways arc of the adventure)

Monday 21 November 2022

Necropolitans, episode 20: You are in a hole

Anyone who listened to the podcast earlier may be confused to see this post change. This is due to me unearthing several missing recordings that I hadn't even realised were missing (due to doing all the audio editing retrospectively).

The party are exploring an evil temple that would be vaguely horrifying if they weren't undead. We question the importance of prewritten paragraphs of things that happened thousands of years ago, he says, glancing at his GM notes of things that happened thousands of years ago. Also: good thing vampires are subtle. Find out more, in Episode 020: You are in a hole

Direct Links

  1. RSS feed for all episodes
  2. Episode 001: Character Generation
  3. Master list of episodes
  4. Episode 007: Screaming blue murder from his waist (start of the Castaways arc of the adventure)

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Cheap and Nasty: Weaponising Your Enemies

Cheap and Nasty 3

“Low-cost, effective tricks to keep your lair hero-free!”

Despot reveals shocking secrets to erasing adventurers! Henchmen hate her!

Have you a lair that is plagued with bothersome heroes? Can't take a nap without a howling barbarian trying to bisect your torso? Treasury depleted by the depredations of ravening rogues, money-grubbing mages, and tediously commercial Lawful Evil clerics capable of casting Resurrection for you? This irregular column aims to help you find affordable solutions to your PC Problems.

Weaponizing the Adventurers

As every disreputable villain knows, money buys quality. If you want to make fortresses more impregnable, traps more undetectable, spells more devastating or minions less inclined to betray you at the mere suggestion of a bribe or threat, you're going to have to splash out. Stronger materials, more devious lackeys and more potent magics always have their cost. And that's absolutely antithetical to our mission here - to give You, our valued reader, more snap for your silver.

Friday 4 November 2022

Deeply mediocre GURPS abilities

Sometimes when I'm out running my mind goes wandering. Here are some powers you could have in a GURPS game. They are arguably useful, but deeply questionable nonetheless.

X-Ray Vision Vision

6 points. You see distinct traces whenever someone views an area with their X-ray vision. This power doesn't reveal people, but the extent of their X-ray vision is clearly visible to you, and you can use it to deduce their location.

Detect (Rare; X-Ray Vision; Reflexive, +40%; Vision-Based, -20%) [6]

Ringtone Replication

6 points. You can accurately mimic any ringtone you've heard, and have an extensive repertoire of memorized ringtones to call on. If you have the Mimicry (Electronics) skill, you can roll against Mimicry rather than IQ to use this ability.

Mimicry (Accessibility, Only ringtones, -90%; Voice Library, +50%) [6]

Recover Teaspoons

6 points. By calmly concentrating for 30 seconds, you can cause lost and 'borrowed' teaspoons within 32 yards to teleport to your location. The ability is subtle enough that colleagues don't notice anything; however, the strain it puts on your body leaves you paralyzed for 1 minute, with an HT roll to recover once per minute thereafter. As such, it's best used when you can guarantee some privacy.

Affliction 1 (Accessibility, only misplaced teaspoons, -100%; Accessibility, Useless under stress, -60%; Advantage, Spoon Warp, +1%; Area effect, 32 yards, +250%; Backlash, Paralysis, -150%; Emanation, -20%; Malediction 1, +100%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Concentration, -15%; Takes Extra Time (x32), -50%) [6].

Spoon Warp is Warp (Anchored, afflictor only, -40%; Blind Only, -50%; Exoteleport, -50%; Modified Carrying Capacity, 0.05 lb, -90%) [20], reduced to [1] by GM fiat to represent its realistic value.

Detect, Evil

60 points. You are capable of supernatural feats of deduction and preternetural sensitivity, but drawing on your gifts risks imperilling your very soul. When you activate your detective powers, you gain a +4 bonus on Body Language, Criminology, Detect Lies, Intelligence Analysis, Interrogation, Observation, Savoir-Faire (Police), Search, Shadowing, and Streetwise. Displays of talent also gain a +5 reaction bonus from police officers and PIs. Alternatively, by meditating for a few seconds, you can attune your mind to virtually any substance or object of interest, and sense them at a distance. However, each use of your powers is a diabolical bargan that requires a Will roll to activate - for good reason!

When you use your powers, you are wreathed in a choking fog of sulphurous brimstone, and a withering aura of evil. Your eyes glow red, teeth sharpen, and bony spines extend from your temples and vertebrae. All reaction rolls incur a -4 penalty from anyone who can observe these; animals react at -8 instead, while those who see animals' reactions or have Animal Empathy take a further -1. Your presence causes grass to wither and insects to curl up dead.

Thanks to your diabolical appearance, while channeling these powers, you suffer -1 to your Disguise and Shadowing skills, and others gain +1 on attempts to identify or follow you (including their Observation and Shadowing rolls), or +3 in outdoor environments. They also gain a +2 on rolls to deduce the truth behind your abilities.

Cruelty seeps into your mind, making you cold to the emotions of others (see Callous, p. B125) and bestowing 20 points of Corruption each time you accept your infernal bargain (see GURPS Horror, pp. 146-8).

While you channel evil power, you are vulnerable to "turning" by particularly holy individuals. Worse, if you perish under its influence, your soul will go straight to the Hells! Even at the best of times, your aura is steeped in second-hand evil - you can stride unharmed through the shrines of dark gods and wield their artefacts, but you balk at the powers of goodness as though you were yourself an agent of Evil.

Functions and Detects as Evil [0] + Natural Copper 4 (Corrupting, -20%; Temporary Disadvantage, Bad Smell, -10%; Requires Will, -5%; Temporary Disadvantage, Callous, -5%; Temporary Disadvantage, Damned, -1%; Temporary Disadvantage, Detect as Evil, -1%; Temporary Disadvantage, Frightens Animals, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Lifebane, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Unnatural Features 3, -3%) [34] + Modular Abilities 30 (Divine Inspiration; Trait-Limited, Only Detect, -50%; Corrupting, -20%; Temporary Disadvantage, Bad Smell, -10%; Requires Will, -5%; Temporary Disadvantage, Callous, -5%; Temporary Disadvantage, Can be Turned by True Faith, -1%; Temporary Disadvantage, Damned, -1%; Temporary Disadvantage, Frightens Animals, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Lifebane, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Unnatural Features 3, -3%) [26].

Anti-Material Rifle

Take the stress out of mortal combat by imaginging your enemies nude? Not content with laser cannons and monomolecular blades, you have sought out or invented the ultimate weapon. Roll against Guns (Rifle) to attack a target within 100 yards, with normal range penalties (p. B550). You can aim to benefit from Acc 3. On a successful attack, you deal 5d corrosion to creatures and objects made of cloth. The weapon doesn't harm other targets, but any fabric they wear has its DR reduced by 1 for every 5 points of damage rolled.

Since it's a weapon, your rifle can be destroyed (DR 10) or stolen (with a Quick Contest of DX or ST).

Corrosion Attack 5 (Only fabric, -80%; Based on Guns (Rifle), Own Roll, +0%; Breakable, DR 6-15, -10%; Size -1 or -2, -20%; Can be stolen, Quick Contest of DX or ST, -30%; Superscience, -10%) [10].

Curse of Inevitable Death

You can afflict your enemies with a terrible curse, if you're willing to pay the price. If your enemy loses a Quick Contest of HT vs. your Will, they are subject to constant misfortune - the first to suffer, the last to benefit, and always at the GM's whim. However, you die immediately and unpreventably from natural causes.

Affliction 1 (Disadvantage, Cursed, +75%; Malediction 1, +100%; Temporary Disadvantage, Terminally Ill (One Month) (Time-Spanning (One Month Prior) +50%), -150%) [13].