Collect Them All!

Do you remember these STRANGE STARS^tm  action figures from the early 80s? There was this guy, the robot and the green woman--and a bunch of aliens.

Probably not (though if you do, email me) because, as far as I know, they don't exist. This is a super-cool promo bit done by the ever talented Lester B. Portly featuring artwork by Eric Quigley. And before you ask, rest assured work on Strange Stars continues.  We aren't just playing around.

Wednesday Comics: The Price (part 5)

We continue our examination of Jim Starlin's Dreadstar Saga with The Price. The earlier posts in the series can be found here.

The Price (part 5)

Eclipse Graphic Album Series #5 (October 1981) Story & Art by Jim Starlin

Synopsis: Leaving Taurus Killgaren a smoldering skeleton, Darklock returns to Sister Marian. He tells her he killed his brother's murderer, but the man was not the bloodthirsty fiend he had imagined. Sister Marian doesn't understand, but Darklock says it doesn't matter.

Instead, he asks her a question about a hypothetical moral quandary. If she could play a major part in an event that would change humanity's destiny for the better, but it required her to sacrifice her own life--and her death would be painful and horrible: Would she do it?

Sister Marian doesn't know what he's going on about, but she's a nun of the Instrumentality: If the gods' required she lay down her life for the betterment of humanity, she would.

Darklock was afraid she would say that. She asks what's wrong and calls him her love. He acknowledges that he loves her, too. He had never dared speak of it because of their vows. The truth is, he has never been a pious man; the priesthood was just a means to comfort and power. But she did believe, and her piety rubbed off on him. He would never have soiled that with his lusts. He loved her, though--and will to the end of his days...

Marian is in a dark room, confused. Then she remembers Darklock was never one for hypothetical questions:

First Darklock hears her prayers. Then come her screams.that seem to go on forever. Finally, there are her last, choking sounds. What he hears last is even more horrible: her body being eaten. When  it's done, and the door opens, he enters the room and takes the power:

TO BE CONCLUDED

Things to Notice:

• Always wise to be careful who you answer hypothetical questions.

Commentary: 
And so, Sister Marian pays "the price"--and so does Darklock. She gives up her life or is tricked into doing so, and Darklock gives up the thing that he loves the most. In fact, Darklock has paid a series of prices for power: he does not pursue a relationship with Marian in the name of his vows (which by his own admission give him access to power), he sacrifices much of his body to gain the power to kill Killgaren, and then this.

Class as Race

If you watch Thundarr the Barbarian (and you should) you'll notice that "Barbarian","sorceress", and "wizard" as treated almost as if they are special classes of individuals rather than just vocations or cultures. We don't see any evidence that barbarians come from anymore primitive a background than a lot of other characters, but they dress is skins and are all tough fighters.

In fantasy comics (at least older ones) people tend to dress more for their particular skill set than for any cultural reason. Forest thieves tend to look like Robin Hood, despite other characters dressing in Sword & Sorcery fashion. You know have a pretty good guess and what their skill set just by looking at them.

Both of these things lead me to the same thought. Maybe "race as class" in D&D doesn't just apply to demihumans? It could be that all classes are, in fact, races--or at least some sort group identity. It could be that you don't choose to be a fighter or a magic-user: You're born one.

I don't know what the"in world" explanation would be for this. Being chosen by the gods would be one explanation (something like Exalted's castes), but far from the only one. Maybe it doesn't need explaining--it's just another weird thing about a world with underground structures full of monsters and magic.

Thinking About 5e

Not the map of the world, but same sort of place

When we finish our current Weird Adventures campaign, some of my players have expressed interest in giving 5th edition a try, which appeals to me too. In honor of a whole new edition, I've been thinking of trying a little bit different sort of setting. Instead of doing another variation/evolution of my high school setting, I think I'll do something a little more whimsical, maybe?

Something that apes the concern for serious world-building (or lack thereof) found in the pages of Sword & Sorcery comics of the Bronze Age like Claw the Unconquered and Warlord (I say "apes" because I'll never not be concerned with world-building in some way), a bit of not taking things too seriously like DC Comics' Nightmaster, Scott Driver's Dwarf Land, and Oz; and a touch of Adventure Time gonzo.

Things it will probably have: Post-apocalyptic elements, a (possibly hidden) city of wizards, some variation on the countries I wrote up for Dwarf Land. elemental lands at the cardinal directions, a Demonland of horned people for whom "Evil" is "Good", and reskinned races as well as the standard races.

Why Isn't There A Game For That?

There are a number of genres/subgenres that are under-utilized or not utilized at all in rpgs, despite the fact they would probably work pretty well. Here are a few off the top of my head:

Humorous Adventure Pulp
Basically this would cover the whimsical, fantastical, and often violent world of Thimble Theatre (later Popeye) and the Fleischer Popeye cartoon. A lot of fist-fights, fewer guns. This would also cover Little Orphan Annie, various kid gang comics, and (on the more violent end) Dick Tracy.

Wainscot Fantasy
Little creatures hiding in the big world. Think The Burrowers, The Littles, and Fraggle Rock.

Kid Mystery Solvers
Scooby Doo is probably the most well-known example, but you've got several Hanna-Barbera returns to the same concept. Ditch weird pet/side kick, and you've got The Three Investigators, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys.

Wacky Races
I've written about this one before--and Richard has run it. Still needs a game, though.

Products from the Blog Roll

So why I'm toiling away on one project, blogger compatriots are getting stuff out at a much quicker rate. I've mentioned Tim Shorts's stuff before (and he just keeps making more of it!). I've also mentioned Garrisonjames over at Hereticwerks before, but I've neglected to mention this cool new mini-dungeon Taglar's Tomb for you OSR gaming:

Plus, it's pay what you want.

Porky of Porky's Expanse! has also been working like a dwarf in a mine (minus the singing) and totally without my notice, until he dropped a pay what you want mini-zine totally reflected of his weird and thoughtful style: Delver's Digest. It's also pay what you want:

After digesting the digest, check out Polycosm Publishing's other wares.

Wednesday Comics: The Price (part 4)

We continue our examination of Jim Starlin's Dreadstar Saga with The Price. The earlier posts in the series can be found here.

The Price (part 4)

Eclipse Graphic Album Series #5 (October 1981) Story & Art by Jim Starlin

Synopsis: In his sanctum, Taurus Killgaren is well aware that Darklock comes to kill him him. His demon familiar asks what will happen. Killgaren replies: "Most likely, I will die," but he adds that at last Syzygy Darklock will see the truth.

Darklock arrives sooner than expect and demands to know what truth, though he blasts off Killgaren's legs and disintegrates the sorcerer's familiar before getting the answer. 'Why?" he demands.

Killgaren tells him. The dread veil sorcerers are actually cosmic scholars, studying the dark sciences for the betterment of mankind. In his studies, Killgaren saw signs of a stellar event that would have a positive effect on humanity. This future was tenuous, though, so he set out to find a way to unsure it came to pass. it turns out either Syzygy or his brother was fated to play a part in this future, yet it wasn't clear which one. Killgaren chose Szygy and used his powers to influence him into the priesthood. One problem remained; despite a "certain immorality" on Darklock's part he was loyal in friendship...

To gain the power from the demon, Darklock must sacrifice the soul of the mortal he most loves in the universe: Sister Marian.

Darklock can't imagine what the sorcerer thinks would move him to such a deed. Killgaren shows him a vision of the future in his mystic orb:

Darklock doesn't want to accept it. He wonders why Killgaren did this? Was it to steal Darklock's place in the cosmic drama?

Killgaren laughs, then gives his reason:

Darklock responds:

Things to Notice:

• If the dread veil sorcerers are so benevolent, why are they called "dread?" Or maybe it's just the veil plane that's "dread." 

Commentary: 
Now, "the price" referenced in the title is revealed. The only question is whether Darklock will pay it or not.

Darklock's vision of the future also gives us our first link to Metamorphosis Odyssey since the intro. Vanth Dreadstar's face is among those he sees.