Weird Revisited: The Pulp Core of Trek

I was once again talking about how I might run a slightly alternate ST:TOS game with fellow fan, Jason Sholtis, the other day, which reminded me of this post from 2012...

While I've enjoyed all the Trek series (well, maybe not Voyager) to one degree or another, my favorite has always been the original. It's very much of it's era which gives it a cool design sense and adapts a lot of Golden Age and pulp science fiction elements. The "core canon" for my game would be the original series.

(As an aside, I'd say that a lot of later accretions on the Trek universe have served to downplay the old school science fiction feel. Genetic supermen and a interplanetary sleeper ship coming from the 1990s does not suggest the 20th century history of space travel in Trek played out like it did in our history, but rather more like the imaginings of Werner von Braun and Willy Ley.)

I mean, what would Trek be without Rigel II cabaret dancers?

I wouldn't leave it there, though. The now-noncanonical animated series adds the Kzinti (among other stuff) to the mix. Got to have these guys:

James Blish's novelizations of the original episodes give them a subtle sci-fi lit spin: I think Trek is better with a mysterious Vegan (VAY-gan, alright?) Tyranny in it's past than without it. Always early fan documents add a lot of stuff. The Starfleet Officer's Manual and Star Trek Maps are definitely in--as are parts of the totally out there on its on but well illustrated Spaceflight Chronology.

Wednesday Comics: Comixology Unlimited

DC Comics has joined Marvel (and a number of indies) on Comixology Unlimited. There are currently 52 (huh?) DC titles available along with the other stuff for $5.99/month. It's not a lot, and it's mostly newer stuff, but hopefully that's just where they are starting. It might be the excuse I needed to finally go with Comixology Unlimited, but we'll see.

In other news, after a bit of holiday, I'm getting ready to return to the adventures of Storm. You might want to refresh yourself on the last story, "The Living Planet" to get ready.

Highs and Lows of the Toad Temple

Our Land of Azurth 5e game continued last night, with the part just having escaped the bowels of the Toad Temple oppressing the land of Under Sea, to a loading dock on a canal surrounded by swamp. A swim across the canal provokes the attack of a giant leech, which is warned off by arrow fire. A trek across the swamp leads to a nocturnal encounter with a giant frog and a giant alligator that nearly bit Erekose the fighter in twain. (The random encounter rolls were not on their side.)

As they near civilization they borrow a boat and make it back to the frogling village. Avoiding the Toad cultist patrols who are eager to find the daring rogues who defiled their worship and killed their high priest, the party returns to their barn hideout for a rest.

The next morning, they decide to return to the temple and see if they can destroy it in some way. Kairon and Erekose favor fire. (Erekose had already shown a pyromaniac streak after his unilateral and pragmatic but cold-blooded decision to kill two captives with Burning Hands the night before.) Other party members just want to induce the cult to leave by any means necessary.

They ask the ambassador to get the townsfolk to stage a riot at the temple doors. The party hopes this will divert the cult forces so they can sneak back in. Kully the bard goes to help rally the townspeople.

The plan seems to work in that the loading dock and the lower levels seem virtually abandoned. After a search of the upper dungeon, they find stairs to a tower, where they overhear a ground of guards discussing a squabble over succession with the ranks of the cult luminaries. They get the drop on them and kill them all. Still, they can't kill every cultist in the place (probably), and they still haven't figured out a way to make them leave.

Cymrilians [5e race]

The country of Cymril lies at the center of Seven Kingdoms and its green crystal-spired capital is the greatest city and unofficial capital of the alliance. It's people are descendants of the Phandre, masters of sorceries and rulers of Old Phaedra, until a rebellion instigated by the Orthodoxist faithful. Many Phandre were put to torment, but most of the wizards fled like beetles exposed beneath an upturned stone. In the wilderness they founded Cymril.

The Cymrilians are counted among the Talislantan races of men, so the standard human 5e racial options could be used for them. However, I think something like these variant human subtypes probably fit the Talislantan millieu better. Unless otherwise noted, treated them as human in particulars.

Cymrilian Traits:

Ability Score Increase: Intelligence score and one other ability score increases by 1.

Size: Cymrilians are taller and leaner than human average, with most around 6 feet in height. Medium.

Skills: Gain proficiency in one skill.

Magical Aptitude: Though not all Cymrilians are wizards, all possess at least a small magical facility. Each knows one cantrip of the player's choice from the wizard list. Intelligence is the spellcasting ability for it. 

Languages: Cymrilians can speak, read, and write Low Talislan and High Talislan.

Subrace: Choose one of following subraces.

Koresians

Typically just called Cymrilians, they are the dominant group in society. They have pale green skin and hair, and golden eyes.

Ability Score Increase: One ability score increases by 1 point.

Magical Society: Gain proficiency in Arcana.

Languages: Koresians can speak, read, and write ancient Archaen.

Tanasians

Tanasians are the exiled descendants of the former Phandre ruling caste and make up less than two percent of the Cymrilian population. Some have been raised in exile by families perhaps yearning to regain their former glory. Others may have gone to live in the wilderness, abandoning what they seen as the folly of their ancestors and political intrigues. Tanasians physically resemble Koresians.

Ability Score Increase: One ability score increases by 1 point.

Skills: Traditionally raised exiles gain proficiency in Arcana, while dissenters gain proficiency in Athletics and Survival

Languages: Traditionally-raised Tanasians speak an additional language, likely one related to their place of exile.

Pharesians

Make up about three percent of Cymrilians. They are voluntary exiles and nonconformists, owing to historical prejudice against the lime green of their skin. Many become itinerant peddlers of talismans and arcane parephenalia.

Ability Score Increase: Wisdom score increases by 1 point.

Skills: Gain proficiency in Perception and one other skill.

Dungeonmaster! [ICONS]

DUNGEONMASTER

Abilities:
Prowess: 3
Coordination: 4
Strength: 3
Intellect: 5
Awareness: 4
Willpower: 5

Stamina: 8

Specialties: Geek Pop Culture

Qualities:
A Lonely Nerd, Deep Down
Impulse Control Issues
"I'm the Dungeonmaster, here!"

Powers:
Icosahedron of Ioum (Magic Wizardry Device): 8
Images (Programmed)
Spatial Control (Shaping)
Teleportation (Portal)
Probably Control (When a situation doesn't go his way, he can "re-roll" the Icosahedron, i.e. utlizie this power. Either the will of the device or a psychological quirk of Dilbert's considers this cheating. After each use he must test his Willpower against his Probability Control Power level, with a failure meaning loss of his powers for a number of pages equal to the degree of failure.)

Background:

Alter Ego: Arnold "Arnie" Francis Dilbert III

Occupation: Former college student; Professional Criminal

Marital Status: Single

Known Relatives: Arnold and Patricia Dilbert (parents)

Group Affiliation: Masters of Menace

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: SUPER-SENTINEL TEAM-UP #85

Height: 5’10” Weight: 156 lbs.

Eyes: Green Hair: Light Brown

History:

Arnie Dilbert was a capable college student, but performed poorly due to the time he spent playing the role-playing game Monsters in Mazes with his few friends. Unhappy with his real life, Arnie began to immerse himself more and more into fantasy. He convinced his friends to act out their game characters’ exploits in a small cave system near their university. Annoyed by Arnie's increasingly demanding behavior, the others ended the session and left him alone in the cave.

Trying to find the exit, Arnie became lost. He later claimed to have found a hidden chamber where he discovered the large, crystalline Icosahedron of Ioum. This artifact obeyed his commands, giving him apparently magical powers, but whether by design or Arnie's own psychological quirks, it limited him to mimicking powers analogous to those wielded by a Monsters in Mazes referee.

Arnie, now calling himself the Dungeonmaster, used these powers to settle scores with his neglectful parents and former classmates before embarking on a criminal career. His modus operandi was to create a "dungeon" in the location the crime was to take place and force bystanders to achieve his goals for him, coercing them with monsters and traps of his making. At a comic book convention in Southern California, he attempted to force a group of costume contest participants to steal valuable memorabilia for him, but he was defeated by the second Rocket. Since that time, the Dungeonmaster considers her his archenemy, though Rocket does not reciprocate.

Jaka from Talislanta [5e Race]

Art by P.D. Breeding-Black

Jaka are humanoid species with features resembling both wolves and panthers. They are covered in sleek black fur and have silver-gray manes. They hail from the beast-haunted wilderlands of Yrmania, particularly the area of the Brown Hills.  With a reputation as peerless trackers, Jaka easily find work as scouts, guides, and hunters of both men and beasts.

Jaka Racial Traits
Ability Score Increase. A Jaka's Dexterity increases by 2, and Wisdom increases by 1.
Age. Jaka reach adulthood around age 12 and typically leave to around 80.
Alignment. Most Jaka are neutral.
Size. Jaka are Medium.
Speed. Base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. Jaka can speak, read, and write Low Talislan and are fluent in Wilderness Sign of the Talislantan tribes folk.
Darkvision. Jaka have a cat’s keen senses especially in the dark. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Jaka can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Natural Tracker. Jaka have proficiency with the skills Survival and Perception.
Scent Marking. As a bonus action, a Jaka can mark one creature it can see within 10 feet. Until the end of the Jaka's next long rest, its proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check to find the marked creature, and the Jaka always know the location of that creature if it is within 60 feet. A Jaka can’t use this trait again until it finishes a short or long rest.
Sixth Sense. Jaka have the uncanny ability to sense danger, or even potential danger within 30 feet. They cannot necessarily discern the type, location, or degree of danger, but they know it is there on a successful check of their Passive Perception (Wisdom). In cases where they are actively looking for threats they have an advantage on their Perception (Wisdom). They are particularly sensitive to magic and add 5 to their Passive Perception checks if magic is involved and +2 to their active checks.
Jaka Weapon Training. Proficiency with the shortsword, shortbow, and spear.

Wednesday Comics: The Good Stuff I Read in 2018

I read a lot of superhero comics in 2018, but a minority of them were new (within the past couple of years) but here, in no particular order, are the ones that stood out:

X-Men: Grand Design: I'm not sure the X-men needed to be woven into one sprawling narrative, and doing so has Piskor making some odd choices, but I like the retro approach and the Marvel Saga-esque dive into the past.

Green Lantern (2018) #1-2 and Earth One: Wonder Woman Volume Two: Middle tier Morrison (though with only 2 issues extant, the jury may still be out on Green Lantern) is still better than most stuff.

Supernaut: A little bit Morrison, a little bit Warren Ellis, this is a sci-fi superhero yarn very much of the exposition heavy "mad idea" school. And from an indie, no less. There's a trade, but Amazon doesn't seem to carry it. Comixology has the issues, though.

Martian Manhunter #1 and Electric Warriors #1-2: Both of these are written by Steve Orlando. MM has a take on Mars I found really cool. Electric Warriors has an interesting concept (covering some of the period between the Great Disaster at the time of the Legion). It's early in their runs, but I'm going to be optimistic.

Final Frontier #1: I'm not sure exactly when this was released, but it's a Tom Scioli take on a rock 'n roll band Fantastic Four, so you should read it.