Monday 27 March 2017

The Spring Apocalypse Offer!

In the Spring a fuller crimson comes upon the Earth's doomed sky;
In the Spring a hungry Fangote feeds upon the folks who die;

In the Spring The Other-Verse begins our worlds annihilation;
In the Spring a gamer's fancy turns to thoughts of the apocalyptic destruction of all human civilization.

No? Just us then!
(I take it that whirring sound we hear is Alfred, Lord Tennyson turning in his grave).


For 1 week only Gethsemane Games is offering our Post Apocalyptic RPG range at a bargain price. What better way to enjoy a beautiful spring day than with a post Apocalyptic game of survival, adventure and horror?

From now until April 3rd our Pandora's Wake range is available at a huge discount via the links provided.

Pandora's Wake: The Post Apocalyptic RPG just $2 via this link: http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=9ea8651d56
Pandora's wake is an exciting Post Apocalyptic RPG in which survivors struggle to live day to day in a world overrun by the hellish creatures of a nightmare world.  Bandits and rival groups add to the danger, and the radioactive wastes of man's attempt to drive back the Other-Verse with nuclear weapons dot the landscape.

Pandora's Fury!: Miniatures Skirmish game in the world of Pandora's Wake just $2
http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=9ea530c318


Pandora's fury is a tabletop miniatures game designed to let you play out skirmishes and battles in a Post Apocalyptic landscape. 
Set in the same world as our RPG "Pandora's Wake" the game lets you fight skirmishes and battles with any miniatures and in any scale.
After the 'Pandora Event' an alien world known to us as 'The Other-Verse' has ripped holes in the skin of our reality, holes through which deadly diseases, carnivorous plants and killer monsters have swept across Earth and destroyed mankind's civilisations.
In 'Pandora's Fury' you can play gangs of survivors battling for resources or simply fighting to survive or you can play swarms of creatures from 'The Other Verse' as they sweep across the landscape, destroying all they encounter.
Includes rules to convert your 'Pandora's Wake' RPG characters to the Pandora's Fury miniatures rules.

The Blackwood chainsaw Massacre: Skirmish scenario for 'Pandora's Fury!' Just $1 using the following link
http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=9eb9e12402


The Blackwood Chainsaw Massacre” is a skirmish scenario designed for the “Pandora's Fury!” rules but which can be easily modified for any other skirmish rules you like. Statistics for the combatants are included, using the Pandora's Fury! rules system. Use any scale or miniatures you like (We have included links to the 15mm scale figures we used to play-test the scenario, but you can use other models, other scales or counters if you prefer).
The Scenario pits lumber jacks and townsfolk against the horrors of the Other-Verse in a desperate fight for survival.

This scenario was featured in the games room at Moria Con 2015


'Kenopsia', Pandora's Wake: The Nomad Chronicles, Book #1
A Novel set in the Pandora's Wake Universe.
Trapped in Post Apocalyptic Switzerland shortly after 'The Pandora Event' a band of survivors find themselves infected with alien fungal spores form 'The Other-Verse' and must find a functioning hospital before it is too late. When they reach the Swiss town of Bex, however, they find that their troubles are only just beginning.


Why not also check out the following products by Gethsemane Games that are ideal for your Post Apocalyptic needs?


Pandora's Wake Character Sheets


GMs Map #6 'Command Bunker'
The 2 storey Underground Command Bunker was built to protect command and control assets in the event of war or disaster. Equipped with communication and monitoring equipment and staffed by trained military personnel the bunker could withstand anything short of a direct hit by the most fearsome of weapons.
Based on and inspired by actual military bunkers the map is suitable for any period from the second world war or cold war period to the future and any genre from espionage to post apocalyptic or horror.

What secrets – or horrors – the bunker hides deep beneath the ground is up to you as GM.
A key describing the original purpose of most of he rooms is included.



Buried deep beneath the ground the communal fallout shelter is hardened and built to withstand Nuclear, Biological and Chemical war fair and may even be protected from EMP. If this bunker has one weakness, it is that it was designed and built with only a single exit. Although this was most probably seen as a security feature at the time the design was formalized it could turn the bunker into a death trap if a determined enemy were to blockade the entrance on the surface.



Sunday 26 March 2017

New 'Entropy Effect' Fiction published by OMNI media.




OMNI magazine online has published 'Chimera: The Entropy Effect,' a short story by B F Irving based on our upcoming 'Entropy Effect RPG.

When reality is damaged the Entropy Stalkers are sent to repair it and to eliminate the cause, but in the tunnels under a bustling city one such 'Reality Repair Team' are forced to confront an uncomfortable realization.

Read the full story for FREE on OMNI 

https://omni.media/chimera-the-entropy-effect


Tuesday 21 March 2017

'Coopers Creek' and 'The Entropy Effect'

My Short story, 'Cooper's Creek', published by OMNI online is set in the same universe as my 'Entropy Effect' RPG which should be released in October of this year.
It deals with the idea that reality can be bent or broken by uncontrolled psychic energy.  In Cooper's creek we see how that might look from the perspective of a an unsuspecting human, Don Smith, forest ranger.

The story can be used as an extended players handout in one of the 'Entropy Effect' adventures which will be published next year, in which the PCs get to meet Don Smith many years after his visit to the eponymous 'Cooper's Creek'.

https://omni.media/cooper-s-creek

'Kenopsia' Chapter 3 now available on Youtube.

Based on our popular 'Pandora's Wake' RPG, 'Kenopsia' is the first book in the 'Pandodora's Wake: The Nomad Chronicles' series.

 Chapter 3 of the audio book is now available to hear on Youtube, read by the author.
A disturbing encounter for Knut and the nomads on the way to Bex interrupts their quest for a hospital.
Who or what is responsible for destroying the UN column on the road?
Cerubim and Dr. Almandinger begin to suspect a troubling possibility and Joanas has some more bad news for the group.


Haunts and Horrors Discount Offer (Valid until March 26th)

Haunts and Horrors Discount Offer

For a limited time only Gethsemane Games are offering our Gothic Horror RPG 'Haunts and Horrors' at a huge discount with the following discount codes.

Try Haunts and Horrors for just $2 until March 26th!
You want more? Certainly! You can also buy three Haunts and Horrors scenario's for just $1 each until March 26th.

That means you could buy a rules system and 3 adventure scenarios for just $5! That is less than we usually charge for the Haunts and Horrors rules on their own. Don't miss out. Use the discount codes or click on the discount links today. Offer ends on March 26th.
Offer valid for PDF versions only.

OFFER CODE
OFFER PRICE
PRODUCT
OFFER LINK
9246fc1713
1.00
Blood Money
PDF
9248e34edf
2.00
Haunts and Horrors 2nd Edition
PDF
92411d986b
1.00
Suffer Little Children
PDF
924bad6161
1.00
The Curse of Amun Menetnashte
PDF


Haunts and Horrors The Gothic Horror RPG
There are many dark and desolate places in the world. Places where the Haunts and the Horrors lurk, waiting to prey upon the unwary. Where practitioners of magic indulge in their dark arts, for good or for ill.
Step from the present into the gas-lit world of the 19th century, or investigate the paranormal mysteries of today Face the supernatural horrors from the folklore of many diverse cultures, and struggle against creatures beyond common philosophies, the haunts and horrors that plague man's nightmares.
Haunts and Horrors is a flexible horror RPG intended to let GMs set their games in any period of history they choose, from the Georgian period to the modern day

Blood Money
Blood Money”, an adventure set in England durring the early years of Queen Victoria's reign. The old coaching inn “The little drummer boy” has seen better days, the advent of the railways has hit the inn's custom, but perhaps not so much as the tales of a strange phantom horseman that plagues the highways around the inn.
Who, or what, is the dark form that haunts the roads and moors around the old coaching inn "The Little Drummer Boy" and what is the cause of it's hatred for the Johnstons?
A new adventure Scenario for Haunts and Horrors, with a new creature and new rules.

Scenario for the Haunts and Horrors RPG or any other percentile bases horror RPG.

Suffer Little Children
An Adventure for the Haunts and Horrors RPG
What dreadful curse haunts the dreams of the children of Enfield such that they fear the embrace of sleep?
What foul thing moves them to terror?
Unable to find any physical cause the town doctor turns to the alienists at the Sanatorium for help, yet even they are baffled by the strange malady that sweeps through the town bringing night terrors and fearful dreams to the young.
In north west England during the reign of Her Royal Highness
Queen Victoria, something terrible troubles a sleepy village.
A strange white figure is seen in the night.
What terrible secret of the town's past is behind the mystery?
Or is the new water works to blame, as so many claim?
And what role does the crumbling folly in the grounds of the high house have to play in all of this? Built from stones so ancient they have seen the dawn of man, inscribed with ancient symbols of a lost culture.
Could that hold the key?
In “Suffer Little Children” the players must unlock these secrets and defeat a foul enemy with the aid of unlikely allies and beset with terrible dreams and visions of their own.

The Curse of Amun Menetnashte
For over two thousand years a forgotten Egyptian Sorcerer has lain at rest within his tomb, lost beneath the sands of Egypt. Until now.
Unwittingly the Percival-Papadokis expedition have awoken the Sorcerer from his slumber and his restless Ba and Ka, aspects of his spirit self, seek restitution for an ancient wrong.
Drawn into the events that result from the awakening of the once forgotten Amun Menetnashte the player characters find themselves enmeshed in a struggle against ghostly apparitions, an undead mummy and ghouls. Worse yet, they must satisfy the conditions of a powerful magical spell or die, becoming the latest victims of...
...The Curse of Amun Menetnashte.
'The Curse of Amun Menetnashte' is an adventure for the horror RPG 'Haunts and Horrors' by Gethsemane Games. Set in Egypt during the late19th century (c1870s) this adventure introduces some of the interesting folklore and mythology of Pharaonic Egypt and of the Achaemenid Persian culture.
With a minimum of effort this scenario can be used with any Horror RPG rules.




OFFER CODE
OFFER PRICE
PRODUCT
OFFER LINK
9246fc1713
1.00
Blood Money
PDF
9248e34edf
2.00
Haunts and Horrors 2nd Edition
PDF
92411d986b
1.00
Suffer Little Children
PDF
924bad6161
1.00
The Curse of Amun Menetnashte
PDF


GM's Map #12 Released. Mansion (Perfect for your Haunted House Scenarios)

Just $1, introductory offer

Mansions, grand houses of the rich and famous, often steeped in history and dating back several centuries.

The mansion presented here is a medium to large example of a type of mansion that would have been built from the early 18th century onwards in Britain, Europe or America.

4 levels in all, a basement, ground floor, first floor and attic levels all mapped out in JPEG, and BitMap as well in a PDF with notes form the author.  Just $1 as part of an introductory offer.
Scenario Ideas
Large houses such as this are a staple of Gothic horror, since they tend to have a long history they make ideal locals for ghost stories or other tales of Gothic horror.
Similarly mansions often feature in detective and mystery fiction. We are all probably familiar with the inspector sent to investigate a murder at a mansion house during a social gathering or country retreat.
Fans of hiest drama should have no problem finding a use for a mansion map in a daring robbery stile adventure. Perhaps the party seek to steal a valuable painting from the wall or the lady of the manors jewels.
In espionage games the manor house may be the home of some nefarious agency or foil to the PCs who they seek to confront or perhaps they are out to put his house under surveillance, wiring it with listening devices or hidden camera's.
The house could make an interesting base of operations for a group of survivors in a post apocalyptic world. Certainly a mansion house is not as secure as a castle but can post apocalyptic beggars be choosers?
Mystery and horror may be the commonly accepted order of the day for places such as this, but don't shy away from letting your imagination run riot and finding ways to use the mansion in any genre of play you wish.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/207909/GMs-Maps-12-Mansion?src=hottest_filtered



Monday 13 March 2017

Highstreet Bank Map

Banks are a staple in heist movies and crime drama, and as such can make an interesting locale for an adventure. Perhaps the party are robbing the bank, or perhaps they are going about their business when the bank is held up at gunpoint.  If the PCs are part of the law enforcement fraternity they may be called in to investigate a bank robbery or may be required to storm a bank after a robbery goes wrong and turns into an armed hostage situation.

GMs Map #11 should be out later this week and will depict a fairly large bank, but banks come in a wide range of shapes and sizes so we thought we would give you this small branch for free.  We hope you like it.

1. Public Entrance
2. Lobby with Tellers
2a. Private Teller or ATM
3. Tellers
4. Private Rooms.  Used when customers need to speak to an assistant.
5. Lower meeting room
6. Men's room
7. Women's room
8. Floor managers office
9. Floor managers private washroom
10. Lower general office
11. Lift to vaults
12. Secure fire escape
13. Main General office
14. Branch Managers office
15. Women's Room
16. Men's Room
17. Store room
18. Staff break room with galley kitchen
19. Upper meeting and conference room
20. Security room
21. Vault (Safe Deposit Boxes)
22. Vault (Cash)










Sunday 12 March 2017

Kenopsia Audio Book: Chapter 2 FREE


'Kenopsia' is book one of Pandora's Wake: The Nomad Chronicles', a novel by B F Irving based on his popular post-apocalyptic RPG 'Pandora's Wake'.

The audio book is being released 1 chapter at a time on our Youtube channel.

In Chapter 2, the strike team sent by the nomads to locate the source of the alien spores find and engage their target, but at what cost?

Games Mastering: My 7 Rules

Today I would like to take a look at a topic of interest to tabletop gamers.  I have been playing RPGs since 1984, 32 years in all.  In all of that time I have been the Games Master far more often than a player.  Currently I GM two weekly game sessions and one monthly one.  As such I have a lot of experience of sitting behind that screen and keeping the game moving.   So, today I would like to talk a little about a few golden rules I moderate my own GMing by.

Some of these are things you may already do (or your GM may do).  Some are things you may very strongly disagree with.  That's okay too.  There is no absolute right and wrong way to do it, so long as everyone is having fun (that includes you as GM as well as your players.  All too often GMs concentrate so hard on making sure their players are having fun that they forget they have to be enjoying it as well!).

I will be including these tips in my upcoming RPG 'The Entropy Effect' (due out in 2017), along with a few additional tips that are more specific to that game's rather unique challenges.

I openly invite debate and discussion on this article because no matter how long one has been GMing and no matter how good one may be at it, there is always room for improvement.  One step to improvement is debate with others, so if you have a strong feeling either way about any of these points, feel free to say so as vocally as you like!  Let's discuss it.


The role of Games Master is a challenging one in any tabletop RPG, since the GM acts as a moderator, referee and organiser of the game and to an extent, the players. The task is a balancing act, in which the GM must retain enough control to keep the game moving but not so much that the players feel they are not the primary cause of the narrative moving forward. It is the players that must solve the problems the GM presents them with. The GM must carefully balance creating challenging situations – so that the players feel stimulated and tested – with ensuring the players have a fighting chance of success.

Someone once said that “GMing is the art of letting the players win while not letting them know that you let them win”. Well, while this quote has some merit, the GM and the players should also keep in mind another truism of RPGs, that sometimes losing can be just as much fun and isn't necessarily the end. The PCs should always have an opportunity to recover from a loss or defeat and as long as the players are enjoying themselves, then all is well.

Walking this tightrope between creating drama and the sense of excitement that comes with the risk of defeat against the thrill of success and enjoyment of playing is always a test of any GM. As such the person taking on the roll of Games Master should always keep in mind the following guidelines;-

  1. The GM is not there to play against the players. Role Playing Games are co-operative in nature, and while the GM should always seek to present the players with problems to be overcome, (s)he is not their opponent.
  2. At the same time the GM should not forget that they are not there to make the characters lives too easy. Without drama and tension the game will seem flat. The players should always feel they succeeded because of their actions and decisions and to an extent the luck of the dice and not simply because the GM was always going to let them.
  3. There should be a risk of failure, but that failure should never be inevitable (even when it may sometimes feel like it) and ideally need not be final. Even if the characters are all killed (What is known in RPG circles as a TPK or “Total Party Kill”) - the players can always generate a new party and be sent in to clear up the mess left behind by the fallen team. TPK situations should, generally, be avoided where possible. Sometimes they can happen as a result of a series of unlucky events but they are not ideal. When they do occur they should be rare. (In my 30+ years of gaming I have been GM twice when a TPK has happened. On both occasions it was, in retrospect, a misjudgement on my part that lead to setting the level of difficulty of an adventure higher than the party were able to handle). Of course, the occasional character death is something that will happen more often and although it is a moment of sadness, it shouldn't bring play to a stop.
  4. When in doubt, er on the side of the most enjoyment for the most number of players.
  5. Players will very often come up with ideas you didn't foresee when preparing the game. So long as the ideas are not utterly ludicrous or likely to ruin the enjoyment of the rest of the players – let them. Part of your job will be to add-lib from time to time. Don't let that intimidate you, it can be fun and rewarding for both you and your players.
  6. You should always be fair.
  7. The “Rules” are actually more guidelines. As GM don't be afraid to overrule them when needed, but remember rule #6. In saying that, consistency is also important, so if you do overrule a written rule, make sure you have a good and logical reason to do so, especially if you intend to use the rule in future.
By B F Irving

Saturday 4 March 2017

Cooper's Creek (Fiction)

OMNI online magazine has published my short story 'Cooper's Creek' which you can read for FREE at  https://omni.media/cooper-s-creek

Cooper's Creek is based on our upcoming RPG 'The Entropy Effect' and is set several years before the adventure 'Number Station' (Working title) which will be published for the RPG.

In the story we hear the tale of what happend at Cooper's Creek when the Alaskan park rangers sent a 4 man team to rescue a missing expedition fro the MacReady spring expedition - told in the form of a diary entry form ranger Don Smith.

Don will appear in the adventure module as an NPC for the PCs to interview and during playtesting I even used the short story as a handout for the players to read, although that wasn't it's original purpose.

Cooper's Creek is a creepy, SF-Horror story that should send shivers up your spine, here is a sample form the story:

'I wish I had never heard of that place.
The name will haunt me till the day I die, and that's a day that can't come soon enough. I can't even bring myself to write it down. It's as if just writing that damned name will make it real again. If it ever was real; maybe they are right, maybe it was just a psychotic episode.
If it was though, we all shared it.
Three forest rangers and a cop.
Oh and if it was just a psychotic episode, why did they seal the files? Why did they swear us to secrecy? Tell us we could never talk about it to anyone? For that matter, just who exactly were they? In their black suits and sunglasses, all of them with the same haircut. All made to look as much like one another as possible so you couldn't pick them out of a line up if you tried. 'Agents' they said, but from which agency exactly? I don't think they ever told me, but they had the boss rattled sure enough, and the cops.
It's strange the things that trigger the memories and the fear. You always hear people in the movies or in books talking about how they can't sleep at nights. How “It still haunts their dreams.” It's not really like that. Not for me anyway and not for Mitch or Jack either I don't think. Not that I've spoken to them for a while now. Mitch blew his brains out last year and Jack, well I don't know what happened to Jack. I haven't heard from him since the funeral.'
Read the rest at OMNI online Here

Friday 3 March 2017

KENOPSIA AUDIOBOOK: Chapter one available FREE now.

Kenopsia is book #1 of 'The Nomad Chronicles', a series of novels that I am writing, based upon the Tabletop RPG 'Pandora's Wake'.  We are currently producing Kenopsia as an audio book.  Read by myself and recorded at 'The Rooms', Unit N1, Hobson Ind. est, Burnopfield, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 6EA.  Editing and production by Bryan Tulip with additional editing by Bryan F Irving.

In a Post Apocalyptic Switzerland, a band of nomadic survivors encounter a deadly alien spore from The Other-Verse and are forced down a path that will lead them into danger.

Hear chapter #1 of the Kenopisa Audio book now, free of charge,

Contributors Wanted


Do you have an adventure or an article that you think would be useful to other gamers and players of Gethsemane Games products and that you think is good enough to see print? Would you like to see it here on 'Whispers from the Other-Verse'?

We are looking for contributions from gamers and fans of our products that we can post to this blog for other fans to enjoy.

We are particularly interested in adventures for Haunts and Horrors, Spelldancer or Pandora's Wake but will also consider rules variants, systemless scenarios or articles on using our rules for other genres. Articles should be around 500 to 4000 words long but we will consider longer articles if you send us a query email with the idea and a writing sample first.

We are also interested in short stories, around 1000 to 4000 words in length that are set in any of the worlds of our games.

We can not pay you for these submissions and seek worldwide none exclusive publication rights. What that means is we are permitted to publish the submissions here on our blog but that doesn't stop you also submitting them to other publishers or self publishing them (minus, of course, any copyright material owned by us as part of our own publications).

If we see something that we particularly like and feel deserves full publication as a Gethsemane Games supplement via our publishing partners at Lulu or RPGnow etc. we will contact you to make you an offer for the rights to publish them as PDFs and printed books. You are not bound to accept that offer and if you refuse then we will revert to the original agreement of publishing it on this blog under a none exclusive right.

All submissions should be sent to gethsemanegames@gmail.com and attached as a PDF or docx
Articles of less than 1000 words can be included in the body of the email if you prefer.
When submitting material please include the name, pen name or pseudonym that you would like me to use when the content is credited to you.


If you are including art work for any reason ensure that you own the rights to said artwork

Thursday 2 March 2017

GM's DAY SALE!

HAPPY GM's DAY EVERYONE!
The GM's day sale is now live aross RPGNow. As part of the site wide sale all Gethsemmane Games Products are now 30% off for the durration of the sale!
Pop over and grab yourself a bargain at the Gethsemane Games RPGNow store http://www.rpgnow.com/browse/pub/3429/Gethsemane-Games…
30% Off our RPGs, advengtures, modules, GMs maps and everything else.
Post apocalyptic survivor against ruined city backdrop
Pandora's wake is an exciting Post Apocalyptic RPG in which survivors struggle to live day to day in a world overrun by the hellish creatures of a nightmare world. Bandits and rival groups add to the danger, and the radioactive wastes of man's attempt to drive back the Other-Verse with nuclear weapons dot the landscape.
You can also read a serialized story set in the world of Pandora's Wake here for free.
The game uses the 3rd generation of the Gethsemane Games Roleplay Rules which are highly adaptable to your own play stile. You will need 2 ten sided dice to play (or a dice roller app, of course).
The Pandora Event ripped holes in the very fabric of our reality. Holes that let The Other-Verse in, a nightmarish world beyond our own, filled with deadly flora and fauna.
Deadly bacteria and viruses that we had no defence against brought human civilisation to it's knees. As plagues swept away two thirds of the human race, the alien life-forms of the Other-Verse began to emerge through the cracks in the walls of our reality, ever expanding, out competing native, terrestrial life, hunting Earth's own biosphere to the brink of extinction. Turning our world into a hellish copy of the Other-Verse itself. Such is the world into which your characters will step, to struggle for survival against carnivorous plant life and predatory alien creatures as well as desperate gangs of raiders and bandits, competing for the scarce resources that have been left behind in... Pandora's Wake.
A Post Apcalyptic RPG from Gethsemane Games
Post apocalyptic survivor against ruined city backdrop
Pandora's fury is a tabletop miniatures game designed to let you play out skirmishes and battles in a Post Apocalyptic landscape.
Set in the same world as our RPG "Pandora's Wake" the game lets you fight skirmishes and battles with any miniatures and in any scale.
After the 'Pandora Event' an alien world known to us as 'The Other-Verse' has ripped holes in the skin of our reality, holes through which deadly diseases, carnivorous plants and killer monsters have swept across Earth and destroyed mankind's civilisations.
In 'Pandora's Fury' you can play gangs of survivors battling for resources or simply fighting to survive or you can play swarms of creatures from 'The Other Verse' as they sweep across the landscape, destroying all they encounter.
Includes rules to convert your 'Pandora's Wake' RPG characters to the Pandora's Fury miniatures rules.
The world is ending.
Not in a single, catastrophic moment, but slowly and painfully, screaming out its dying agonies in prolonged death-throes that may last a generation. It is dying, murdered by another world, a malevolent world, a world that devours all it touches and makes it like itself, a world the survivors of our world have dubbed “The OtherVerse”.
In Pandora's Fury the players will create groups of survivors who are struggling to stay alive in a post apocalyptic world that is being over run by the incursion of the Other-Verse and its hostile flora and fauna, which are slowly and inexorably turning our world into a copy of their own. Survivors must battle these hostile elements of an alien world, gather supplies and deal with other bands of survivors, some hostile, and some not, to try and survive in a world gone mad.
Magical circle on a leather cover
There are many dark and desolate places in the world. Places where the Haunts and the Horrors lurk, waiting to prey upon the unwary. Where practitioners of magic indulge in their dark arts, for good or for ill.
Step from the present into the gas-lit world of the 19th century, or investigate the paranormal mysteries of today Face the supernatural horrors from the folklore of many diverse cultures, and struggle against creatures beyond common philosophies, the haunts and horros that plague mans nightmares.
Haunts and Horrors is a flexible horror RPG intended to let GMs set their games in any period of history they choose, from the Georgian period to the modern day.
Two adventurers head into a dark dungeon
Spelldancer brings to life a fantasy world where beast-men races vie for their place in the world, amongst the ancient spirit races and the forlorn giants.
In the beginning, Elizium was the home of giants. The spirit world looked upon Elizium with interest, and some of their number descended from the Umbra to walk upon its face. The spirit races watched as some of the beasts grew and walked upon two legs instead of four.
Now the races of the beast-spawn have spread their influence to almost all of he world, driving the giants to the edge of extinction, and shunning the dark, dangerous places beloved of the Spirits.
Dark magic and panoramic cultures bring this alien world to life and open never-ending possibilities for adventure.
* Flexible character generation.
*Customisable magic items.
*A variety of playable races from beastmen (descended from the animal life of Elizium) to corporeal spirits (spirit creatures from the umbra that have anchored themselves to Elizium by constructing mortal bodies).
*Rules for curses, illness and misadventure.
*Fully supported with its own facebook group and free resource section on our website.
*Believable cultures.
*A range of adventure modules to follow. *Tactical combat manoeuvres that can make a significant difference to the outcome.
"The loamy scent of the earth permeated the dimness of the pit. Its walls were pocked with still-living roots, from which dangled decayed trophies.
The remnants of some ancient enchantment still clung to a blade, so that it threw a faint luminescence into the air. Its glow lit its neighbour, a helm, cleft in twain, still bearing the stains which marked its last owner’s passing.
Beneath these sat the Goblin of Orm. Impossibly ancient, the Goblin was as green and wizened as the mossy entrance to his home. His purple hair crinkled sparsely from his scalp. His only garment was a strip of ancient and tattered cloth around his waist, but his jewels would have put a king to shame. Rings cluttered his fingers, and a chain of immense precious stones dangled and jangled around his throat. Numerous bangles chimed together as he cast polished bones upon a length of exquisite cloth on the filthy floor. He cackled at the resulting pattern.
“What do you want, horseson?” he rasped, barely even glancing at Grathmalesh Ashar.
“That’s horsedaughter” she corrected, her voice distorted by her helm.
“You must be hot in that.” He chortled. “Big strong horsegirl like you, coming to see a little old goblin like me in all that metal. Suppose I should be flattered.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, spirit scum.” She spat.
“Oh, come to trade insults, girl? Let me see your face before you call me names.” The Goblin seemed to be completely unmoved by her disrespect.
“I came here for the Spark of Horax.” Intoned Ashar.
“Ha! Come to call the thunder down, have we? Sure you can take it?”
“I can take it.”
“You think? A thousand years ago I cut it from the hand of a Centari princess. She fought hard, horsegirl, and she died hard too. You think you’re up to the task? Are you so desperate for the Thunderspear that you’ll trade away your life?”
“Think of something else to trade.” She said. “The sands of my life ran out long ago.”
“I know they did, Grathmalesh Ashar. You better have brought something good. It’s a pretty toy, and I likes it.”
Ashar pulled her helm off, to stare balefully at the Goblin. The dim light was lost in the sockets of her skull, and the white bone of her muzzle gleamed in the dimness. Only the mane she had shaken free still maintained any semblance of life.
“Your flesh didn’t frighten me, horsegirl, and your bare bones frighten me even less. Now what have you got for the Goblin of Orm?”
Grathmalesh Ashar stamped her hoof impatiently. Those of her status were not used to trading in the dirt like a peasant.
“I should not have to trade for what is already mine.” She said, imperiously.
“Rot. I cut it from your cold dead hand, like I said I would. It’s mine now, and I don’t give things away. Now show me the goodies, or get away.” He casually cast the bones once more.
Grathmalesh Ashar stamped impatiently, and at this two more figures stepped into the den.
“Numbers won’t help you.” Said the Goblin.
“Show him.” Ordered Ashar.
The first figure moved forward, bristles standing clear of his neck. His snout seemed to wrinkle at the smell of the place. The razor sharp tips of his tusks had dislodged roots and earth in the confines, as he stood over 6 feet tall. He held in his hands a large silver dish, its heavy engraving polished to a high sheen. The Goblin barely glanced at it.
“Threw better’n that out, boarboy.” He snorted.
The other figure rooted around in a sack with his hands and proboscis. He finally pulled free the irregular shaped object which required the extra handling, and dumped it into the tray. The shards were irregular and it would not balance properly in the dish.
“I told you we should have brought the krater,” the Aarcondon said, fussily.
In the dish, the strange object came to rest. The darkness seemed to be drawn towards its jagged surface, almost pooling in the dish.
“Shut up.” Snapped the Goblin. “Have some respect when you’re handing me the heart of Nathezda Malmoribane, gaoler of Golpak, Dark Lord of the Malmori.”
He took a moment to examine the item carefully.
“Looks like death was the making of you, horsegirl. You can take your pointed stick, I’m tired of it now.”
He jerked his head at a corner where an ancient spear hung. Ashar could hear it humming, as if it was calling to be back in her hands. The Goblin had risen and was taking the dish from the shaking Horatii. The Aarcondon pushed forward and grabbed at the spear, which almost cringed from his grasp. He flicked out his tongue to tighten his grip on it. Ashar grimaced. She had never been able to train him out of that habit.
The Goblin had returned to his seat, and was singing a merry song whilst cradling the Heart of the arch-traitor in his hands.
“Is that it?” said the Horatii.
“That’s it, H’rrothgarr” said Ashar. H’rrothgarr went for the exit as quickly as his remaining dignity allowed. Ashar relieved Aabaala of her Spear, trying to surpress the urge to wipe his saliva from the handle. As they left Aaabaala was struck from behind, and fell forward with a cry. Immediately Ashar turned, spear at the ready.
“Don’t need your stupid tray” the Goblin smirked."
A fantasy game of beastmen, spirits, demons and dark magic

Wednesday 1 March 2017

Miscellaneous Equipment

The following article lists some useful miscellaneous equipment for use in modern, post modern, cyberpunk, near future and Post apocalyptic games.

It is not possible to list all of the things that characters (both NPCs and PCs) may make use of in the course of a game as the list of items available in the modern day runs to entire volumes. GMs should therefore exercise their discretion when deciding what is and isn't available, how easily and at what cost. We have included a small selection of some items that we felt may require a little explanation of their effects in game play, but on the whole, this is left to the GM for reasons we have mentioned.

Purchasing costs for these items vary greatly from place to place and from one year to the next, the GM should decide what any given item costs in their game at any time, or may let players look it up online and pay the gong rate.



Item
Notes
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Used to warn people of the presence of Carbon Monoxide in the air. Often found in underground instillations or in domestic buildings with Gas appliances. Portable, hand held, versions are also available.
Climbing gear
A collection of crampons, pitons and other small items used in conjunction with ropes (see later) to aid in climbing. The use of climbing gear gives a +20% bonus to climbing rolls.
Craftsman's Tools
Available for a wide range of skills, a tool kit containing the right tools for he job lends a character up to +25% on appropriate skills when used.
These may include EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians) first aid kits for medical skills, carpenters or engineers tool kits for relevant skills and so on
Bags and backpacks
Made in a wide range of sizes and qualities, everything form a small handbag (purse, in American parlance) up to a military kit bag or Bergan. Used to store and carry other items.
Breathing Mask
Often referred to as a gas mask, the breathing mask will keep the user safe from airborne toxins and agents while in use. The masks are hot and uncomfortable to wear for any length of time and the filters in the mask need to be replaced or maintained regularly. Use for over an hour or two continuously is not recommended and use for more than 4 is usually not possible without changing the filters
Dust Mask
Usually used by workmen dealing with anything that might be an irritant to breath in but is not inherently toxic. Dust masks reduces the amount of particulates that the user breathes in and may increase the exposure time needed to be effected by gas by between 10 and 25% depening on the quality of he dust mask
Fire Extinguisher
A range of these portable extinguishers are available, from foam to CO2 based, aimed at helping the user put out small to medium fires.
First Aid Kit
A small kit with bandages, dressings and other minor medical items. Using a first aid kit infers a +10% to a characters “First Aid” skill, but the kit is usually only good for between 2 and 5 uses before it runs out.
Flares
Usually used to signal distress on board water-born vessels or by expeditions into remote locations and wilderness areas. Flares can be of various colours and can be hand held or launched.
Flash light
Referred to as a torch in the UK and parts of Europe. They come in various strengths and some come with coloured gels which makes the light less obvious form a distance to third parties.
Geiger Counter
Used to detect radiation and warn the user of it's presence and at what levels
GPS
Global Positioning equipment that uses a satellite signal to tell the user exactly where they are on the planet. Early models were designed for use in cars and included road maps, later versions could also be hand held and even installed on mobile phones or tablet computers as apps.
Laptop Computer
They come in a wide range of specifications, from quite basic machines to very powerful ones. Almost all are Wi-fi enabled (but need to find a wi-fi network in the area) some will have their own wi-fi generators built in (although this is more common in tablet computers and mobile phones).
Listening Device
Used by private detectives, law enforcement and governmental agencies to eavesdrop conversations by plating them somewhere in a room they are unlikely to be detected and the tuning in via the receiving equipment located elsewhere. Range is typically only a mile or two.
Mobile phones
By the early 21st century mobile phones had become almost ubiquitous in the first and second world and were quite common in the third world. Increasingly sophisticated, most would be internet capable (using the 3rd or 4th generation mobile phone network or local wi-fi) by 2010.
Cheap models can be easily purchased worldwide, high end models are available in mist areas as well.
Night Vision Goggles
Used to allow the user a degree of vision goggles without the usual penalties associated with not being able to see. Range is far more limited than normal human daylight vision, but over short distances the user can see fairly clearly (in most models the image is monochrome and green)
Radio
There are a number of different forms of radio available, form AM?FM radios that allow the user to receive radio transmissions on those bands (usually used for tuning in to radio stations) to DAB radios which can also be used to tune in to internet radio stations.
In addition 2-way radios such as walkie-talkies, C.B radios and other forms of radio communications device are also available.
Rope
Useful for all sorts of things form climbing to tying people up or towing one vehicle behind another. Ropes are sold in various lengths and at various tensile strengths depending on their intended purpose.
Used in climbing they give a +40% bonus to a climb skill.
S.C.U.B.A Gear
Includes re-breather and oxygen tanks. Using these allows a character to operate underwater for as long as they have air in the tank (the length of time the air lasts varies on depth underwater, the activity carried out while using it and the size of he tank but a rule of thumb is around about an hour).
Tablet Computers
Small, portable devices with touchscreens, tablets are very popular among many humans and are fairly easy to buy in most towns and cities across the world. They vary in power and capability but all can connect to a local Wi-fi netork when one is available and some generate their own Wi-fi network via the 3 or 4g telephone system. Tablets are rarely as powerful as laptops, but the highest end tablets can match lower or even medium specification laptops.
Targeting Scope
Available in a range of sizes for handguns, rifles and other weapons. Use of a targeting scope can give the firer +5% to hit and can increase effective range by 10%.
Tent
Available in various sizes form 1 person to multi-occupancy, and from basic to luxury, tents provide water proof and wind resistant shelter that can be packed away and moved.
Thermal Clothing
Available in various sizes and weights deigned to help humans cope with cold to extreme cold temperatures. The highest rated thermal attire are Arctic survival suits which allow survival in all but the coldest of Arctic conditions.
Thermal Flask/Bag
Thermal flasks or bags come in a wide range of sizes and are designed to insulate whatever is in them so that they retain the temperature they were at when placed inside for longer – usually several hours longer. Very high grade ones keep things at the temperature they were when placed inside for a day or more.
Tracking Device
A small radio transmitter that can be tracked by compatible equipment (often sold with the tracking device) to let the person with the compatible receiver locate the tracker. Often used by private detectives and law enforcement to track a suspects vehicle.
The ranges vary but are usually only a few miles.
Ultra Violet torch
A torch that shines UV light, causing UV reactive items or bodily fluids to glow slightly so they can be seen.
Voice changer
Used to distort the users voice and make it harder to identify. Models can be of various levels of sophistication, making identification only slightly more difficult than usual up to many times harder.
Waterproof Clothing
Waterproof clothing is used to keep the wearer dry and comfortable in wet conditions. In most cases this a matter of comfort but in extreme conditions or remote areas of the world it can be a vital health precaution.

The Entropy Effect

* * * EMERGENCY * * * * EMERGENCY * * * * EMERGENCY * * * *

    We have detected a level 4 reality failure at 54.97565° N, -1.610546° E.
    Local Entropy levels have now reached 43 and are climbing. Echelon 1 through 3 reality anomalies are now occurring spontaneously, suspected Echelon 4 event occurrence. Reality Fracture believed imminent.

    All reality repair teams in the area respond immediately. This is not a drill. All reality repair teams in the area respond immediately.

    Multiple Cassandra series Entropy Stalkers have been dispatched from mother ship via Astral Gates to co-ordinate emergency reality repair attempts. Reality fracture believed imminent. This is not a drill.

    * * * EMERGENCY * * * * EMERGENCY * * * * EMERGENCY * * * *


    What is “The Entropy Effect” RPG?

    The Entropy Effect, or TEE for short, is a modern era, sci-fi, horror tabletop RPG which deals with the fluid nature of reality and the idea that reality can be 'bent' or changed in strange and often disturbing ways by forces beyond our control.

    The player characters in TEE are “Entropy Stalkers”, the products of alien genetic technology, sent to Earth to hunt down the escaped products of other alien genetic tampering and to repair reality where it has been damaged or warped. Wherever reality begins to warp and strange, inexplicable events begin to occur, Entropy Stalkers will be found, sooner or later, trying to return the world to it's natural order.

    A Secret History
    In addition to the history we know, or may learn about in schools, universities or books, there is another, secret, history which ties our world and the worlds beyond our solar system,and indeed beyond our reality, together.

    This secret history is, in part, the history of an alien race called the Gubulon, a star-fairing race of nomadic wanderers who achieved interstellar travel while mankind was still travelling by horse and sail.

    Why the Gubulon wander through the galaxy on vast hive ships is a matter of some conjecture and is not dealt with here, suffice to say that they do and that they posses advanced technology and interstellar space travel. In addition to their high technology, the Gubulon also possess impressive psychic powers, harnessed by their ancestors long before the species took to the stars.

    Some time ago the Gubulon began an ill fated series of genetic experimentations in the field of psychic-genetic research during which they attempted, successfully, to isolate the genetic sequences that gave them psychic powers. Combining this knowledge with their knowledge of gene-splicing and genetic engineering they made the mistake of trying to develop the psychic abilities of certain animal species taken from planets they had encountered on their journey. This leg of the experiment was a disaster, and one that would tie the history of Earth and the Gubulon together for generations to come.

    Not possessed of the higher reasoning capabilities and control that is the mark of sapient species such as humans and the Gubulon, the animal species that the Gubulon experimented on were unable to control the psychic powers they were given as a result of the Gubulon genetic tampering. What happened next, was something the Gubulon had not foreseen (Ironically, given that at least a portion of the Gubulon species are precognatives). The uncontrolled psychic energy that bleed off from the experimental animals began to warp the fabric of reality and of space-time itself. Strange events that bent, or in some cases even broke, the laws of psychics began to occur wherever these animals gathered or were held for long periods. As the evidence gathered that indicated the uncontrolled psychic energy was damaging reality, a warning to discontinue the experiments spread across the Gubulon fleet – far flung across the galaxy as it was. On board one vessel, a vessel that was passing through a remote part of the spiral arm of he Milky way, the order was given to destroy all the experiential samples at once.

    As the captive animals were systematically destroyed, those that were yet to meet their fate panicked, and the elevated levels of emotional agitation caused a massive spike in the amount of uncontrolled psychic energy released in one moment.

    The resulting entropy event was catastrophic. It punched a whole through reality that crippled the ship and ripped it apart, flinging it's component parts through space and through alternative dimensions in the first ever recorded level 5 Entropy event.

    At first the Gubulon believed there were no survivors of the destroyed hive-ship, but slowly they began to realise their error. A nearby planet, the third from it's sun, and inhabited by a sapient race on the verge of space flight, began to show worrying signs of strange reality bending events that mirrored those experienced in the Gubulon labs prior to the catastrophic reality failure. Without a doubt some of the experimental subjects had inexplicably survived and were now at large on the planet. Worse still, a single transponder signal from the planet's surface rang out across the stars – parts of the destroyed hive ship must also have reached the alien world of Sol 3, or as it was most commonly known by it's own inhabitants “Earth”.

    A half dozen hive-ships responded and arrived in the Sol-System, hiding on the dark side of the various astronomical bodies there and sending a few intrepid teams down to the planets surface to try and deal with the situation, capturing or killing the escaped experimental subjects and trying to undo the damage done to the local reality matrix where they could. Their alien appearance however, made it imperative they try to remain hidden from the local inhabitants, who would react with fear and often violence to anything they didn't understand or which seemed sufficiently alien. The Gubulon were aware that their own appearance must seem monstrous to the indigenous species, just as the indigenous ape-like sapient species seemed frighteningly unfamiliar to them. Hence a new plan was concocted. The Gubulon would collect genetic material of the local species and would begin cloning them at once – splicing in some of their own genetic material and tinkering with their gene-code to create a species that would be almost indistinguishable from the native humans without close medical or genetic scrutiny. These clones they would then train to hunt the escaped experiential subjects and their offspring, and to repair reality as needed. Unlike the initial animal subjects, the higher functioning sapient minds of the humans would allow control over the psychic powers they would need to be implanted with to complete their tasks.

    The plan was that as the new clones – to be known as “Entropy Stalkers”, were made ready, the use of Gubulon reality repair and hunter teams would be fazed out and replaced with Entropy Stalker teams that should blend in more easily with the indigenous sapient species.

    By 1993 (Local dating) almost all Gubulon were removed from the planet Sol 3 and were replaced by human-clone Entropy Stalkers. More teams would continue to be added as needed and within 10 years over 100 teams of Entropy Stalkers were active on the planet. The attrition rate of Entropy -Stalkers was, however, climbing. This alarming turn of events seemed to have at least two separate root causes. The first was that some ES teams were falling foul of local dangers, from hostile civilian organisations or being killed in war zones, to top secret government programs that had mistaken the alien origins of the clones to indicate some malicious intent. Fortunately the majority of the indigenous population remained ignorant of the idea of alien clones amongst them, as both the Gubulon and the few governmental organisations to have uncovered their existence sought to keep their existence a secret. The second root cause was that the presence of the escaped experiential subjects was causing “Entropy Mutants”, warped forms of indigenous life, to appear and these were often hostile to both Entropy Stalkers and other indigenous life forms. This coupled with the fact that the sexually mature subjects had begun to spawn, meaning that despite the best efforts of the Entropy Stalkers, the numbers of dangerous reality-warping alien animals on Earth simply wasn't dropping quickly enough.

    Star Beast”
    The name “Star Beast” has become the generic term for the genetically modified alien animals and their offspring. Originally a slang term used by first generation Entropy Stalkers (and initially one the Gubulon did not approve of) the term has stuck to the point that even the Gubulon have begun to use it in place of the older “Test Subject”.

    Although the original experiments were carried out on a range of alien life forms, the ones that were being developed aboard the vessel in the Sol system that exploded were primarily of a specific life form taken from a planet many light years from here. The Star Beasts that are lose on Earth are therefore almost all of the same Xenoform. The creature's have a four stage life cycle from hatchling to fully mature adult, with each stage being larger and more physically powerful than the previous one. Although the original species were Oviparous (egg laying) and required both a male and female to create viable hatchlings, an early Entropy Event seems to have warped a signifiant number (perhaps as many as a quarter) of the first generation so that they actually give birth to pre-fertilised eggs without the need of a fertilizing male. This entropy mutation seems to have been passed on to most of the offspring of those Star Beast to have developed the mutation. The result of which is several generation of Star Beast that can self fertilize, thus increasing the number of young born on Earth.

    Entropy
    The Gubulon refer to uncontrolled psychic energy which is released into the world as “Entropy” because of it's tendency to cause random and chaotic events and reactions. This should not be confused with the way the term is used in Thermodynamics.

    Entropy begins as psychic energy, but when released in an uncontrolled manor (such ass by a “Star Beast”) it can cause strange effects. These effects range from an increase in the number of odd coincidences, to inexplicable events that defy the laws of physics, depending on how much entropy is released or builds up in an area.

    Reality has a tendency to try and re-assert itself by dissipating entropy over time, but the presence of a “Star Beast” or certain entropy mutants can cause entropy to enter an area at a rate that exceeds the rate reality can dissipate it. If this continues for too long entropy can build up and an area can become increasingly subject to weird events. This is the cause of “hauntings”, poltergeist activity and preternatural occurrences and so on. Entropy Stalkers look out for reports of this kind of activity and investigate it, seeking to remove the cause and, where possible, undo the damage. If caught in time, the damage can be undone simply by removing the source of Entropy bleeding into the world at that point. If left too long, however, entropy stalkers with the psychic abilities of “Dissipate Entropy” or “Reality Repair” may be required to restore reality to it's normal state.

    Entropy Stalkers
    Entropy stalkers, having been cloned, trained and reared on a Gubulon vessel, have little contact with the Earth cultures they will eventually be deployed into until such time as they are deployed. What they know about Earth is learned from books, radio and television broadcasts. As such, many Entropy Stalkers will seem odd or eccentric to humans, at least initially. The longer an Entropy Stalker has been deployed on Earth the more they may be able to adjust their behaviour and personality to blend in, but the majority always seem, at best, a little eccentric.

    Once ready to deploy, Entropy Stalkers are sent to Earth via stealth shuttles, or occasionally by Astral Gates and do not usually return to their star ships, they will probably never see their home ship again but are left on Earth permanently. A small percentage of Entropy Stalkers “Go Rogue” and cut contact with the Gubulon. This is rare, but it happens, and when it does, other Entropy Stalker's may be sent to destroy them, or at least to recover their equipment.

    Hazards
    Entropy Stalkers face a range of dangers and hazards during their quest to keep Earth's reality from collapsing, not least of which the entropic effects and weird occurrences they encounter, when reality begins to fail almost anything can happen. In addition to the entropic - often called “Supernatural” - events that the Entropy Stalkers will encounter, they face a number of enemies that present a range of difficulties and dangers.
    Hostile Indigenous Peoples can be a major threat to the Entropy Stalkers and come in a range of varieties. From fearful locals who may see the strangers as a threat, especially if they learn of their alien nature, to the “Men in Black”. “Men in Black is a generic term given to certain top-secret government operatives who hunt out Entropy Stalkers in the mistaken belief they are a threat to mankind. Then there are the various warring or criminal factions the Entropy Stalker may encounter who may be an indirect threat. A number of Entropy Stalkers have been killed while operating in war zones, or in high crime areas where their investigative activities have been misconstrued by violent criminal gangs.
    Entropy Mutants are among the most common enemies faced by entropy stalkers. While Star Beast tend to migrate after every metamorphosis into the next life stage, Entropy Mutants are usually indigenous life forms (animals and humans) that have been warped by entropy into something unnatural and often dangerous. Entropy mutants can often be “repaired” and returned to their original form by use of “Reality Repair” or “Dissipate entropy” and Entropy Stalkers are encouraged to do this where possible, where it is not possible, the mutants should be destroyed instead.
    Entropy Entities Entropy entities are what happens when sufficient Entropy builds up in an area and then some how manifests a rudimentary intelligence or personality. Ghosts and Demons are examples of entropy entities. Entropy entities should always be destroyed.
    Rogue Entropy Stalkers. Very occasionally an entropy stalker will go rogue, when this happens, other Entropy Stalkers will usually be sent to rectify the situation, pacifying or destroying the rogue. Some are captured and sent back to a Gubulon vessel and others are simply disarmed and left to live out their natural life on earth without their Gubulon made equipment or the support of their former alien masters. More often than not however, they are killed as the majority of rogues are dangerous.

    Star Beast are the very cause of the problems on Earth, they are the source of he wild psychic energy that is leaking into the world and should be destroyed on sight. Star Beast of all 4 life stages can be found on Earth now as the original generation (a mixture of stage 1 and 2) have reached maturity or stage 4 while new generations have been born here. So far all attempts to “Reality Repair” a star beast have ended in failure, if one was to succeed, the animal could be returned to the Gubulon hive ships, in theory at least.



    THE ENTROPY EFFECT
    COMING IN OCTOBER 2017