Inspiration: Strikeforce Morituri

Art by Brent Anderson

The premise of CYB✪RG C✪MMAND✪™ – heroic individuals undergoing a dangerous, experimental process in order to fight invading aliens – is good enough.  Unfortunately, the game does not implement this premise in an especially engaging way.  A better implementation of this premise can be found in the Strikeforce Morituri series published by Marvel Comics.

Created by Peter B. Gillis and Brent Anderson, Strikeforce Morituri began publication in 1986, the year prior to the release of CYBORG COMMANDO.  The story begins in 2072, four years after an extraterrestrial race, the “Horde,” began their depredations upon the Earth.  Human technology is no match for Horde technology.  Thus the Horde launch pillaging raids from their orbital base and several land bases without fear of reprisal.  The Horde have no interest in exterminating humanity or conquering the world, they just loot whatever civilizations they encounter.  Still, they have more personality than CYBORG COMMANDO's Xenoborgs.  The Horde use psychology against humans and Gillis does a good job of demonstrating their cruelty.

The Morituri represent the only hope humanity has against the Horde.  Only a select few are accepted to take the Morituri Process, which has two phases.  Phase one enhances the subject's physiology and grants increased strength so as to withstand the stress of the next phase.  Phase two imparts a super-power to a subject, the exact nature of which is impossible to predict.  Eventually, every Morituri subject will reject the enhancements with fatal results.  Hence the name “Morituri,” which comes from the Latin phrase nos morituri te salutamus (“we who are about to die salute you”); a phrase attributed to gladiators.  Whether or not any gladiator actually made that remark is immaterial to its relevance to our protagonists.  Ideal Morituri candidates are expected to live up to a year before the process kills them.  The “up to a year” lifespan is taken for granted, even though this assumption is made before any Morituri subject has survived for nearly that long.  It seems to be wishful thinking or perhaps we as readers are supposed to suspend disbelief in this regard.

The Morituri enjoy a celebrity status, which is as important (if not more so) than their actual military accomplishments.  In testament to this, the commander of the Morituri squad is not a Morituri herself, but had experience in the entertainment industry prior to the invasion.  This is the type of dramatic element of which CYBORG COMMANDO does not take advantage.

A game based on Strikeforce Morituri would seem to offer a richer experience than CYBORG COMMANDO's “setting.”  This is especially true in that there is little to distinguish CYBORG COMMANDO characters for one another while each Morituri subject has a different power.

The Adventures of The Adventures of Indiana Jones (spoilers)

Art by John Byrne & Terry Austin

To supplement its The Adventures of Indiana Jones role-playing game, TSR produced “Adventure Packs” for Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – the two films of the franchise extant at the time.  All other Indiana Jones adventures – including the introductory adventure, The Ikons of Ikammanen – were derived from story arcs from the Marvel Comics series The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones.  While John Byrne gets credit for Ikons, credit is not extended to Marvel writers responsible for other stories adapted for Adventure Packs.  Perhaps this is because the copyright for the Marvel material belongs to Lucasfilm.  Since TSR had access to Lucasfilm properties, one would think that the Adventure Packs would incorporate art from the comics; however, this is not the case.

The Ikons of Ikammanen contains various ingredients one would expect in an Indiana Jones story:  exotic locales, legends that turn out to be true, treasure, an overconfident villain, a chase scene, narrow escapes from traps, etc.  (Even Nazis make the scene.)  The adventure is something of a railroad, which is to be expected of an introductory adventure.  At first, Ikons serves well in educating a new player about the game; eventually, however, there are aspects of the story that are ill-suited for an introductory adventure.

The true villain of Ikons is Edith Dunne, who arranged the murder of her brother.  In the story, Indy realizes this when – not having informed her of the circumstances of her brother's death – Edith reveals she knows her bother died in Indy's office.  Unfortunately, the reader doesn't know that Indy didn't tell her, so the 'reveal' comes as a surprise.  Somehow, the player in the Ikons adventure is supposed to figure out that Edith is the villain.  The Referee is instructed, “Your object...is to arouse suspicions in your player's mind about Edith's motives.”  Suggested lines of dialogue make it clear that Edith is claiming credit for the archaeological discovery of the titular ikons.  This might make her a bad person, but it's not indicative of fratricide.  If the player doesn't figure it out, Edith eventually admits her complicity.

Earlier in the adventure, Indy chases a “goon.”  This episode of the adventure immediately follows the rules about conducting chases.  Rather than providing an example of how the chase rules work, the adventure has the player determine Indy's movement rate.  As it turns out, Indy's movement rate is irrelevant because Indy successfully follows the goon regardless.

At one point in Ikons, a villain named Solomon Black announces his intent to kill Indy.  “Your player must now persuade Black to let Indy and Edith live,” states the adventure, “Indy must bluff Black.”  However, prompting the player as to what he or she “must” do is not something the adventure does well.  “If Indy can't come up with a good bluff,” the adventure lists three things Black could say.  One of the statements is:  “Perhaps I should keep you for the time being as...insurance.”  The adventure text continues, “Then allow Indy time to come up with another bluff...If he still can't, Black”  The episode ends in mid-sentence; the contingency is not explained.  I think a more efficient means of handling this would be to have Edith whisper, “Maybe we should try to bluff him.”  The onus of the actual bluff would remain with the player.

If you think this is an instance of Chekhov's dynamite, you're right.

For its James Bond 007 role-playing game, Victory Games published adventures based on the Bond films.  However, those adventures did not adhere precisely to the plots of the films.  The adventures were familiar, but there was sufficient uncertainty so that the players participated in a game and not merely followed a script.  Regrettably, TSR did not take a similar course with Indiana Jones.

The Raiders of the Lost Ark Adventure Pack “recreates the action from the famous film – but YOU decide how it all ends.”  This assumes that YOU decide it “all ends” just like the film.  A “recreation” of the film allows one to see how the film's action is translated into the game's rules, but it does not make for an entertaining gaming experience. It negates the suspense which is essential to the Indiana Jones oeuvre.

In the Adventure Pack, there are some (potential) variations from the film, but they are quite minor.  For instance, in the film, when Indy and Sallah visit Imam, the dates are poisoned.  The chance of this happening in the Adventure Pack is 40%.  Other options include a cobra being released in Imam's dwelling (30%) and a knife being thrown at Indy (30%).

Of course, if a Referee runs more than one player through the Raiders of the Lost Ark adventure, one player gets to be Indy, any other players...do not.  “It's OK for the players to trade off playing Indy during the course of the adventure,” the Introduction states.  In 'Episode 1', non-Indy players can be Satipo or Barranca.  Starting with 'Episode 2', one non-Indy player can be Marion.  A third player can be Mohan (the bartender) in the second episode, Sallah in Episodes 3 through 5, and Katanga in Episodes 6 and 7.

If any player characters remain on the Bantu Wind after the Nazis remove the Ark, the ship can follow the submarine:

Since the U-boat must travel very slowly, the freighter can easily stay with it.  In fact, if the Bantu Wind stays on the same course the sub has set, it gets to the island before the sub does.

No explanation is given why the Nazis wouldn't just sink the pursuing freighter.

Want to know what happens if you don't close your eyes after the Ark is opened?  “Any PC who has insisted on keeping his eyes open is blinded (the blindness is temporary, but he shouldn't realize this for quite a while).”

The Arduin Adventure Bibliography

Detail from the back cover of Michael Whelan's
Wonderworks: Science Fiction and Fantasy Art

Role-playing game bibliographies (or ‘Appendices N’ as the case may be) tend to list two categories of material:  research works and genre literature.  Depending upon the game, ‘literature’ may be inclusive enough to accommodate motion pictures, television programs, and even music as sources of inspiration.  In addition to including the aforementioned types, Hargrave embraces the aphorism that a picture is worth a thousand words and indicates specific art books in the bibliography for The Arduin Adventure (hereinafter ArdAdv).  Although it makes perfect sense, art books are not commonly acknowledged as RPG inspirations.  Hargrave specifies the following art books:  Alien Landscapes, Beauty and the Beast, Faeries, Giants, Solar Wind, Tomorrow and Beyond, and Wonderworks.  Also, I suppose we can categorize An Atlas of Fantasy as an art book.

Hargrave ends the bibliography with a few items that “have served as wonderful sources of fun and ideas.”  Included among these are Elfquest as well as Marvel Comics (“An unlikely, but valuable source of inspiration”).  If we count art books as sources of inspiration, there is no reason why we should construe comic books as an ‘unlikely’ source.  For whatever reason, Hargrave singles out Marvel Comics.  Surely, if Elfquest makes the grade, Marvel cannot be the exclusive source of inspiration among comic books.  Given Hargrave’s acknowledgement of comics and art books (especially the Achilléos book), I find it strange that Hargrave doesn’t mention Heavy Metal.  The remaining ‘wonderful source of fun and ideas’ is “The entire works of J.R.R. Tolkein.”  Complementing that assertion is the inclusion of The Complete Guide to Middle Earth and A Tolkien Bestiary in the bibliography.

For “expanded insight into what is happening in the fantasy gaming world,” Hargrave lists three periodicals:  Alarums and Excursions, Different Worlds, and Sorcerer’s Apprentice.  Notably absent is Dragon ; it’s good enough to advertize in but not good enough to endorse.

Some role-playing games have bibliographies that reference other RPGs; ArdAdv is not one of those games.  However, Hargrave does mention Chaosium's Authentic Thaumaturgy.  Speaking of Chaosium, the RuneQuest (Second Edition) bibliography lists the first three Arduin books in the ‘Other Fantasy Role-Playing Games’ section.  Additionally, the ArdAdv and Runequest bibliographies have one non-fiction work in common – George Cameron Stone’s A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times, Together with Some Closely Related Subjects.

Along with Authentic Thaumaturgy, the ArdAdv bibliography has a variety of books about magic – from reasonably academic texts like The Complete Illustrated Book Of The Psychic Sciences and The Supernatural to the rather eccentric The Morning of the Magicians.  Hargrave also has The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft & Demonology.  As shown in a prior post, Hargrave prefers to spell magic with a ‘k’; he even alters the spelling when the word ‘magic’ appears in the title of a book.  Therefore we see in the bibliography “The Encyclopedia of Magik & Superstition” (sic) as well as “Magik, White and Black” (sic).

Hargrave carries his interest in Japan over into Arduin.  We find in the bibliography Secrets of the Samurai, Japanese Short Stories, Martial Arts (although the title is generic, the book focuses on Japanese martial arts), and – in another instance of ‘magik’ versus ‘magic’ – “Seven Magik Orders” (sic).  The only other reference to a (real world) culture in the bibliography is in the form of The Phoenicians.

Several books in the ArdAdv bibliography discuss fantasy creatures.  Aside from such books listed above, Hargrave includes An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Mysterious Monsters, and Zoo of the Gods.

The Fantasy Almanac has earned a place in the ArdAdv bibliography.  The remaining ‘reference books’ can be sorted into two types:  mythology (The New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, Men of the Earth) and history (War Through The Ages, Medieval Warfare).

In terms of ‘traditional’ fantasy literature (besides Tolkien), Hargrave gives “Personal thanks” to Robert Asprin, Stephen R. Donaldson, and lastly, C. A. Smith “for his fantastic tales of wonder and glory, but mostly for Zothique, the true progenitor of ARDUIN.”

Force, Fire, and Omega

Art by Chris Marrinan

Organizations with flashy acronyms are a staple of superhero comics and spy movies; acronyms like Subversive Hierarchy for Autocratic Dominance Over the World or, as another example, Secret Echelon for the Rapid Propagation of Ecumenical Nihilism and Terrorism.  They are such a fixture of the superhero genre that they appear even in generic settings.  The 'setting' of Superworld is no exception.

The Free Investigatory Research Enterprise (FIRE) was created by morally rudderless scientists and it controls “cover corporations and professional associations, all of which have many members who have no idea of FIRE's basic motivations.”  According to page 9 of the Gamemasters Book, “They have existed for many years in total secrecy, with no outside awareness of their megalomaniacal plots for world domination in the name of science.”  You know, because science is evil.  In contrast to their well-hidden existence, their private security force wears “a combat uniform of yellow with red trim and a red flame insignia on [the] breast.”  The FIRE motto is, “For every ember dying, two flames will grow – no one extinguishes FIRE.”  This is reminiscent of the oath for Marvel's Hydra, “...cut off a limb, and two more shall take its place...”

The description of the Federal Organization for the Registration and Certification of Exotics (FORCE) includes a political history that was current when the second edition of Superworld was published in 1983, but which now – three decades later – seems quaint.  FORCE began in the Carter administration.  Due to lobbying efforts and Reagan-era budget cuts, FORCE's scope is substantially reduced.  Law-abiding superpeople can register with FORCE and gain access to FBI and police records as well as “a computer message board on which they can receive messages and contact other heroes and agencies.”  Registered people can receive training “on proper police procedure and constitutional rights of citizens.”  Reliable heroes can become Special Deputies with “full federal police powers” and yet can still maintain their secret identities.  Finally, “FORCE...maintains a special team of heroes ready for transportation anywhere in the country as an instant response group” called 'The Flying Squad'.

The Omega Institute “was established by a major philanthropical foundation to scientifically study mutants and accidental mutations...”  The institute 'hires' superheroes and reformed villains; however...

...the institute's security has been compromised several times, and...some scientists engaged in institute research may be spies for other nations or supervillain groups.  Because of this, secret hero identities and special weaknesses may become known to underworld contacts when the institute uncovers such information.

Art by Lisa Free

Superpowers in Supervillains

The Amazing Adventures of Holo-Man #1;
1978, Peter Pan Records; Art by Joe Giella

As one might expect from “an exciting game of super human role-playing,” player characters have superpowers – or “Abilities” as the rules refer to them.  A character's Ability is determined by rolling a percentile die and consulting the Ability Chart (sometimes called the Ability Table) and subsequent Ability Descriptions.  There are thirty-three Abilities.  Many of them are standard comic book superhero fare, some are unusual yet not without comic book precedent, and a few are original and...interesting.

There is a one to four percent chance of obtaining any given Ability; however, there is a ten percent chance that a character will not have any Ability.  There is a one percent chance of getting two rolls on the Ability Chart and a one percent chance of getting three rolls.  It is possible to obtain the Abilities of 'Enhanced Vision', 'Bulletproof Skin', 'Leap Great distances', and 'Flight' by themselves; however, for each of them, there is a one percent chance of obtaining the Ability and an extra roll.  ('Leap Great Distances' is identical to 'Flight' except the character “cannot hover...and cannot change direction or his landing site once he is in the air.”  Also, the Ability “may be countered by a punch from another superbeing that hits.”)  So, there is a six percent chance that a character will have at least two Abilities.

Under the Ability Descriptions, each Ability indicates its Area of Effect and the amount of stun and/or kill damage it inflicts (if any).  Abilities that can be used to attack also indicate if said attack is a “Material Attack Form,” which is whether or not the damage “is caused by a tangible object.”  Material Attack Form may not be intuitive; for instance, Heat Control has a Material Attack Form but Sound Control does not.

“A character that possesses the LIVING HAIR ability will have hair that is approximately 10 feet long...The character will have total control over every strand of hair.”  This is obviously based on Marvel Comics' Medusalith Amaquelin Boltagon.  Living Hair can be used in three 'forms' – attack, defense, and movement (using hair to climb a building).  When an Ability has multiple 'forms', only two can be used simultaneously.

Inspired by DC Comics' Wildfire, “The entire body of a character which possesses the LIVING ENERGY ability will be composed of LIVING ENERGY which will be held together only by the special suit that the character wears.”  Should the suit be punctured, an “energy output” explosion occurs.  “This energy output will have a duration of one combat phase, after which the suit will repair itself completely.”  Similarly, Explosive Demolecularization allows a character “to literally blow himself up...[then] his molecules will re-form at the same spot” in the fashion of Marvel Comics' Nitro.

Designer Rick Register created 'original' Abilities based on scientific principles.

A character having the STRONG FORCE ability will possess one of the fundamental forces of nature; the STRONG FORCE ability which suspends the atom's strong force, thus causing the electrons to fall into the nucleus.  The remaining material, after a successful STRONG FORCE attack, will basically be white-dwarf star matter, which, under normal gravity conditions, will sink through anything to the center of the earth.

If a character survives a Strong Force attack, there is a possibility that one or more of the character's limbs will become crippled.

Another 'original' Ability is Conversion:  “In accordance with Einstein's Unified Field Theory, a character with the CONVERSION ability may convert an ELECTRICITY, a MAGNETISM, a GRAVITY CONTROL, a RADIOACTIVITY, and/or a STRONG FORCE attack into one another.”

Last but not least (actually, 'least' may be accurate), we have Oxidation/Reduction:

Following the principles found in chemistry, a character possessing the OXIDATION/REDUCTION ability will be able to cause a bridge support to rust through, or will have the ability to to reduce water to hydrogen and oxygen, etc.  When the OXIDATION/REDUCTION ability is applied to a target character, this will change that character's molecules to carbon if the attack is successful.  The result is that the victim will look and will feel as if he were a burn victim.  A character using the OXIDATION/REDUCTION ability will have the capability to produce an atmosphere as long as there is some source from which to obtain oxygen nearby...  

Yeah, without the oxygen it's kind of tough, isn't it?

Appearance in Supervillains

From Beauty and the Beast #2 (Feb. '85)

art by Perlin, DeMulder, and Scotese

The rules for determining a character's appearance in the 'advanced' game of Supervillains comprise nearly two of the twenty-four pages of the rule book.  For posterity, I present a set of tables equivalent to those provided in Supervillains.

Characters are either humans, androids, or aliens.  'General Appearance' can be (1) human in all respects, (2) near-human, (3) humanoid, or (4) non-humanoid.  Near-humans and humanoids roll once on Table 1.4 to determine one feature difference and are directed to a subsequent table.  Humanoids may have more extreme differences than near-humans.  Although some results might seem normal, such characters “are not quite human.”

For non-humanoid characters, one roll each is made on Table 1.31 and Table 1.32.  No roll is made on the Feature Difference Table.  Instead, non-humanoids automatically have a 'feature difference' for each of the following:  body size, body build, face, appendages, and skin.

Agents of DAGGER

Something I threw together using HeroMachine

Comic book superhero universes (including original RPG settings) usually have some law enforcement organization that specializes in addressing ‘super-powered’ threats.  Perhaps the most well-known example is Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D.  The analogous agency in Supervillains is DAGGER, an acronym for Defense Agency of the General Government, Exceptional Requisites.  (I would have gone with Dangerous Assault Group – General Emergency Response, but whatever.)

“DAGGER agents are traditionally clothed in a red costume with a black dagger superimposed on a white ring symbol on their chests,” the rules state.  Above, I have attempted to render a passable depiction.  What the uniform lacks in subtlety, it makes up for with fascist iconography.

The rulebook states, “DAGGER is a high technology organization, which employs the best scientific minds to be found anywhere in the world.”  Standard equipment for a field agent includes:

1 DAGGER rifle (“+2” attack bonus, 20 space range)
1 Laser sight (tight-beam light makes a spot on the intended target. If a normal being sees this, he will usually give up since he knows that if the agent fires, he will hit)
1 100× magnifying sight
Rubber bullets (for stunning) and regular bullets
Belt:
1 Napalm Cannister (5 space range, covers 1 hex for one turn as heat control K:“1-10”)
1 Liquid Nitrogen DeWar flask (5 space range, covers 1 hex for one turn as cold control K:“1-10”)
3 Smoke Bombs (7 space range, covers 1 space for 1 turn. Note that the smoke may block line of sight.)
2 MACE cannisters (7 space range, covers 1 hex, square, or square-hex for 1 turn, stings eyes and skin – victims lose their next attack)
1 Cyanide capsule (used in case of capture)
1 Miniaturized grappling hook and cord (50')
1 Communication device (to request reinforcements)

Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.  In addition, “each agent has a special helmet...which transmits impulses from all five of their senses directly to their brain, making it impossible for anyone to take a uniformed DAGGER agent by surprise...” 

If a supervillain is defeated and arrested, there is a chance DAGGER will obtain custody of him (or her).  If so, DAGGER will either attempt to brainwash the character or 'experiment' upon him (or her).  Successful brainwashing means the supervillain becomes “a law and order character” as well as “a prime DAGGER agent.”  Failed brainwashing (1-in-6 chance) results in death.

Experimentation can have various results.  Aliens and characters who don't look human “will always die and be removed from the game.”  For androids, DAGGER has a 50% chance of “gaining the ability to reproduce the mechanism which gave that particular android its ability...and will be able to add this ability as a weapon to their arsenal.”  Additionally, an “android may either be permanently deactivated...or he may be 're-programmed' to become a law and order character.”

For human characters, “there will be a 5% chance that that DAGGER has discovered how to recombine DNA to produce that character's particular appearance, and will be able to 'create' their own law and order character possessing the same abilities as the character experimented on.”  Regardless of DAGGER's success (or lack thereof) with the DNA, a d% is rolled:

01-30     Death
31-60     Insanity and lose ability
61-80     Insanity
81-90     Insanity and ability doubles
91-95     Lose ability
96-00     Double ability

Characters who survive and retain their abilities (but not those with the 'double ability' result) are “saved.”  This has nothing to do with finding Jesus, it means that “DAGGER will keep these characters in a state of cryogenic 'sleep'.”  DAGGER will revive these characters “when any type of random destruction becomes necessary, for example...in the event of war.”  Perhaps allowing (possibly insane) supervillains to run rampant sounds like a bad idea.  Of course it does!  That's why “DAGGER has implanted small remote-controlled bombs in the skulls of these characters, so [they] can be destroyed in the event they attempt to do anything other than what they are ordered to do...”

DAGGER's hiring and promotion practices leave much to be desired:

The current structure of the DAGGER heirarchy [sic] allows for one director, up to five commanders, and as many as twenty lieutenants.  These positions are almost exclusively reserved for “those of demonstrated leadership capability,” which means that those agents who hold these positions will almost always have some type of superpowers...  So far, in the agencies [sic] brief existence, only two men have been promoted to the position of DAGGER commanders.  In order for an agent to qualify as a lieutenant, DAGGER will lock the applying agent in a “danger room”, and will throw the deadliest perils available at him.  Examples of these traps are:  raising the floor temperature to 1000 degrees, sending electrical arcs across the room, turning loose several very large and deadly robots, mounting machine guns in the walls, and pumping all of the air out of the room...There is also a test which must be passed in order for a character to become a DAGGER agent, although it is not nearly as difficult as the test to become a lieutenant.  Many agents were rumored to be trying out for the position of DAGGER lieutenant when they simply “disappeared”.  Those who, through quick thinking and courage, manage to “pass” are commissioned as lieutenants and command squads of twenty field agents...

With a law enforcement organization like this, who needs supervillains?

Supervillains Combat

From Beauty and the Beast #2 (Feb. '85)

art by Perlin, DeMulder, and Scotese

The 'basic' game of Supervillains focuses on combat.  Included in the game is a 'strategic' map (55cm × 42cm) upon which combat is played out.  (See image below.)  The left side is represented in hexes while the right side is represented in squares; the interface between the two sides is a column of “square-hexes.”  These hexes, squares, and square-hexes could collectively be called 'spaces' and the rules do this – but only rarely.  When referring to these spaces the rules usually (and annoyingly) use the phrase “hexes, squares, and square-hexes.”  I'm going to use the term “spaces.”  No dimensions are given for these spaces but they would seem to accommodate the width of a city street.

For the 'basic' game, players are expected to use pre-generated characters – of which 37 are provided.  Character creation is not covered until the 'advanced' rules where the concepts of 'Strength' and 'Dexterity' are explained.

Strength is “a measure of the force which the arm and chest (but not leg) muscles of [the] character will be able to exert.”  It is rated from one to ten.  A Strength of 1 is described as “BELOW NORMAL HUMAN, LIFT 100 lbs.”  A Strength of 10 is described as “ULTRA-JOCK, (LIFT BOATS, ETC.) UP TO 50,000 lbs.”  A “normal human” has a Strength of 2.

Dexterity is “the overall physical coordination and the quickness of the character.”  It is rated from one to six.  A Dexterity of 1 is described as “BELOW NORMAL HUMAN” while a Dexterity of 6 means “FULL CONTROL OVER ALL BODY MUSCLES.”  A “normal human” has a Dexterity of 2.

(Strength is determined by rolling 1d10.  Dexterity is determined by rolling 1d6.  Perhaps the average of 2d6 – rounding down – would be a better way to calculate Dexterity.  In this way, supervillain Dexterity would tend to be above the level of “normal human,” but extreme values would be less frequent.  Strength could be determined the same way except that if doubles are rolled on the 2d6, an additional 1d6 would be added to the average – to a maximum Strength of 10.)

A character has a number of hit points equal to twice his or her Strength.  Damage can be either “kill” or “stun.”  If a character suffers an amount of kill damage that equals or exceeds his (or her) hit points, the character dies.  If a character suffers an amount of stun damage (or combination of kill and stun damage) that equals or exceeds his (or her) hit points, the character falls unconscious.

In Hand-to-Hand combat, “If a hit is scored, the damage will always be one point, regardless of the Strength of the attacker.”  This damage is 'stun' unless using a weapon; however, “Superbeing characters may make the attack either to kill or stun.”  So, a 'Superbeing' with a Strength less than that of a normal human can inflict kill damage even when unarmed.  I guess they fight dirty.

In the 'basic' rules, “The play of the game is organized into Game Turns.”  Just assume that a basic Game Turn does not represent a fixed amount of time, but allows each character to perform movement and an attack.  Later in the rule book, mention is made of something called a “combat phase” which lasts thirty seconds, but does not allow for movement.  How combat phases relate to anything in the game is beyond me.

Although combat occurs in the advanced game, the advanced rules define 'turn' in a different way:  “a turn will represent one day of actual time.”  Of course, by “actual time,” the rules mean time as it passes in the game.  The phrase “game day” would evidently be too confusing.

In a basic turn, character has a number of movement points equal to his or her Dexterity.  A character can move one space per movement point.  Different activities have various costs; for instance, entering a building through a window costs three movement points.  Characters with 'limited' flight can use a movement point to move upwards ten feet; “true flyers and leapers” can move upwards thirty feet per point.

In a given basic turn, initiative is determined by rolling 1d6.  The player with the “highest” result has the choice of going first.  Although initiative is determined for a player, certain equipment and abilities allow a character to “always” have initiative.

To determine whether or not an attack succeeds, the attacker and defender compare their respective combat strengths and refer to the Combat Results Table. If attacker and defender have equivalent combat strengths, the attacker must roll six or greater on 1d10 to hit the defender.  The Combat Results Table ranges from attacker/defender odds of 4+:1 (automatic success) to 1:4 (a roll of 10 is needed to succeed).  Combat strength for Hand-to-Hand combat equals Strength plus Dexterity plus applicable modifiers.  Combat strength for ranged combat is Dexterity plus applicable modifiers.

Interview with Herbie Brennan

signed by "C.A. Millan"

Yaquinto Publications managed to publish a decent selection of games during its brief existence, including a handful of role-playing games. Two of these RPGs – Man, Myth & Magic and Timeship – were designed (or co-designed) by accomplished author Herbie Brennan.  Mr Brennan has been gracious enough to answer a few questions about these games for this blog.

Thoul's Paradise:  First, what lead you to create Man, Myth & Magic and Timeship?  How did Yaquinto become the publisher?

Herbie Brennan:  I was having a wonderful time with FRP games (mainly Dungeons and Dragons, a bit of Runequest and something called Boot Hill) when I got it into my head that I’d like to create one of my own based on time travel, a theme that still fascinates me to this day. So I put together Timeship. I’d seen Yaquinto games advertised in several FRP magazines and thought the name sounded cool, so I submitted the project to them. I got a reply from the then President of Yaquinto Games, Steve Peek, who said he liked Timeship and wanted to publish it, but he thought my first move into this market should be in the area of fantasy, which was a proven seller, and proposed that we collaborate on creating Man, Myth and Magic. I jumped at the chance. As far as I can remember, Steve and I created the game system together, and wrote half the scenarios each. It was the start of a lifelong friendship. (Steve’s now out of the gaming industry and busy writing fabulous novels: you’ll find them on Kindle.)

Steve published Man, Myth and Magic first then Timeship several months later. Timeship got the most player reactions and Steve had so many people phoning he had to instruct his secretary to ‘tell them to call back yesterday.’ The fans loved that. A Texas software company called Five Star hired a 14-year-old to convert it into a computer game. This was right at the beginning of the computer game industry so the end product was a sort of text adventure with illustrations, pretty leading edge for the time.

TP:  What lead to the game being called Man, Myth & Magic ?  I can appreciate the alliteration, but there was already a magazine/encyclopedia by that name.  Why not Myth & Magic or Magic & Myth or even Leprechauns & Gladiators ?

HB:  That one was completely down to Steve, as instigator of the joint project. When he called me with the name, I pointed out that it was the name of a very successful partwork. He argued that we were in a completely different field of activity so it didn’t matter. I was a bit uneasy, but he was the publisher...

TP:  One of the innovative features of Man, Myth, & Magic is the concept of “Special Categories”  – a player, through his or her own skill, can adopt the “meta-role” of Sage and/or Orator.  Can you comment as to how the “Special Categories” concept was developed?

HB:  I didn’t even remember special categories until you mentioned them and I still can’t really remember them now, so I’ve no idea how the concept was developed. As a broad principle, though, Steve and I bounced ideas back and forth by letter (this was the pre-email age, of course) then refined the ones that looked useful. I’d imagine special categories came out of this process, driven by a need to do something a little different to existing role play games.

TP:  At the time M, M & M was published, most other RPGs had an 'experience' system through which characters could improve.  M, M & M had something different  – POWER  – which served as experience as well as a 'fuel' for spells and abilities.  Ultimately, POWER was used by characters for re-incarnation.  Do you recall how the POWER and re-incarnation concepts originated?

HB:  One of the aims of MM&M was to create a game that was a little different to the rest and also, if I had anything to do with it, simplified the gaming system. (Even at that time I was convinced most RPGs were too complicated and game systems often got in the way of players’ enjoyment.) The POWER concept was a way of combining the EXPERIENCE points with spell drivers like MANA, CHARISMA or what have you, thus eliminating one more thing for players to worry about.

The use of POWER for reincarnation emerged directly out of my interest in reincarnation. I spent some thirty years engaged in reincarnation research, mainly hypnotic regression, and produced two books on the subject: Five Keys to Past Lives and Discover Reincarnation (a.k.a. The Reincarnation Workbook.) A good FRP system closely mimics real life and in some instances can provide interesting insights into how the world works. I wanted to see what benefits/problems a reincarnation factor would provide in a game context and thus supply clues as to how reincarnation might work itself out in life.

TP:  The notion of hypnotic regression is an interesting one.  Parts of the 'Great Ritual of the Timeship' seem conducive to hypnosis, especially the dimmed lights and the gateway 'visualization'.  Was this intentional?

HB:  I’m afraid the inspiration for the dimmed lights and gateway was more disreputable than hypnotic regression. I drew it from an esoteric technique known as pathworking. It doesn’t involve hypnosis, but the original pathworking (not the modified form I introduced into the game) can sometimes induce trance in particularly susceptible subjects. Interestingly enough, my experience of role play, led me years later to develop what I called the Atlantis technique which is a specific type of pathworking designed to stimulate archetypal elements in the psyche. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but looking back, I suspect the Timeship ritual may have been an important root of this technique.

TP:  Timeship offered three adventure “capsules.”  Another adventure, The Werewolf of Europe (also suitable for M, M & M), was published separately.  Can you describe any other capsules that you used with your players?  Were there any you wished had been published?

HB:  The original business idea was to create two popular game systems then feed them with an open-ended series of adventure modules for as long as there was a market for them. MM&M was published first and Steve and I between us created a goodly number of modules to give it the best springboard into the market. Unfortunately the project didn’t achieve the sales we hoped, so we were more cautious in our approach to Timeship. The second game sold better than the first (in my view because it was a more original idea) but still not well enough to justify the creation of any modules beyond the ones you mentioned. No regrets and I’m delighted all this led to a lifelong friendship with Steve, but I can’t pretend either game was a runaway success.

TP:  If Timeship had been more successful, what sort of capsules would you have liked to publish?

HB:  I’ve long been interested in the scientific possibility of time travel and wrote a serious book on the subject some years ago. So I’ve often thought about what eras I’d most like to visit if time travel ever became a reality. Those would definitely have been the experiences I’d have turned into Timeship modules. My top choices would have been 1) The building of the Great Pyramid, 2) The Crucifixion, 3) The destruction of the dinosaurs 4) the sinking of Atlantis. Those modules would all have involved trips into the past. I’d also have tried two trips to the future with 1) a module built around humanity’s first contact with an alien life form and 2) an exploration of the Face on Mars (postulating an ancient civilisation on that planet.)

TP:  In Timeship, you adopt the conceit that you translated Sumerian cuneiform from manuscripts discovered by “Professor Mauzer.”  Was Mauzer entirely a product of your imagination or was he based – however loosely – on someone of your acquaintance?  What about Mauzer's colleagues (Bord and Speir)?  Are you prepared to reveal the details of “Professor Mauzer's tragic death”?

HB:  As best I can remember, I made them all up. Reference to somebody’s ‘tragic death’ is an old literary trick of mine. It gives the reader the impression of a whole back story without my having to bother actually to write one. I can, however, reveal that in this instance, Mauzer’s tragic death was occasioned by a bus falling on him.

TP:  You write about the TIMESHIP culture as though it died out long ago; however, since we are dealing with time travel, extinction is relative.  For all we know, the culture might not exist until some point in the future.  What relation (if any) does the TIMESHIP culture have with the Time Traveller's Guild?  What does the Time Traveller's Guild actually do?

HB:  Good point. A physicist friend of mine, Fred Alan Wolf, once told me it’s theoretically possible to build a time machine by lashing together ten neutron stars to form a (slightly lumpy) rod. Their combined gravitational field distorts time and space in such a way that it creates areas where you can fly your spaceship into the past and future respectively. The point here is that if this gizmo is ever built by a future technology, it will instantly and simultaneously exist throughout the whole of time. So concepts like a 'past' culture become essentially meaningless. Furthermore, since we know next to nothing about the nature of time, the possibility exists that it is circular, so you will eventually arrive at the same point in time whichever way you travel. The culture of the Timeship and the Guild are linked in that it’s a bit pointless having a Time Traveller’s Guild before you have time travel. In the world of Timeship, the Guild came into being as soon as time travel became popular and inexpensive. The purpose of the Guild is to look after the interests of time travellers (‘everywhere and everywhen’ as it says in their brochure) and provide them with travel insurance if and when they need it.

TP:  One of the interesting things about Timeship is the concept of Wild Talents.  The 'Timelord Screen' states that “Wild Talents manifest rarely; but once manifested remain with the player forever.”  However, the Rule Book implies that Wild Talents can only exist within a given capsule.  What is the final word?

HB:  They stay with you forever.

TP:  Back to M, M &M, in your 'How to Become the All-Time Greatest Lore Master of the Known Universe', you mention that one group of playtesters insisted on travelling to Colchester.  Do you recall this incident?  Do you recall what occurred to the playtest party?

HB:  I can’t remember this at all now: can’t even remember the playtesting generally. But I suspect I was being coy when I said the group insisted on visiting Colchester. For a long time I suspected I had a past life as a Roman living in Colchester, so I imagine I was looking for an excuse to visit it. Which I did eventually, but without stirring any memories.

TP:  Have you considered making M, M & M and/or Timeship available again as print-on-demand products?

HB:  I’d certainly be happy if a nice publisher appeared and offered me a contract, but the thought of tackling the job myself would fill me with horror, given my current work load.

TP:  Thank you for taking the time to respond to these questions and best of luck in your future endeavors.

Meet the Daredevils

The Daredevil Adventures book includes six 'sample player characters' to be used when a new player is introduced to a pre-existing campaign or – as was the case with your humble host and his pals – when players “wish to play immediately.”  Although “[o]nly very broad sketches are given as to characterization” and “[n]o information as to background is given,” the sample characters are clearly based upon certain characters from fiction.  Subtlety was not a consideration when fashioning these knockoffs...er, 'homages.'

Mike Mattock

Take Sam Spade but name a different digging tool and apply alliteration.  The result is Mike Mattock, “a private investigator of the 'hard-boiled' school.”  Mike is first on this list by virtue of having the best illustration; the fact that he was played by your humble host did not factor into this decision.  He is the smartest of the sample characters.  “Often surly and short with men, he will fall all over himself with a dame.”  His Pistol and Driving skills are at maximum value.

Paddy Dugan

The inspiration for Paddy was none other than Marvel Comics' “Dum Dum” Dugan even though the Marvel character did not begin his adventuring career until WWII.  “A big-boned, tall lad who likes a good brawl.”  In fact, his Brawling skill has the highest possible score.  Dugan has the highest Health attribute among the sample characters and he is almost as strong as Grendith (see below).  “He is loyal to his friends and makes an excellent companion either in a tight spot or celebrating victory later.”

John 'Indiana Slim' Ford

They didn't even bother to come up with a different state for this dude.  “When 'off-duty,' he appears as a simple museum curator but, when in the thick of things, he is a hard-as-nails tough guy.”  Of course, he has a whip and his Whip skill cannot be exceeded (neither can his Swimming skill).  “Ford is a tough adventurer who is as much in love with danger as he is with the rewards of the game.”

Dominic Fortunato

Fortunato is a ringer for Howard Chaykin's Dominic Fortune.  (Personally, I have a preference for Chaykin's earlier version of the character – The Scorpion, alias Moro Frost.)  “He is, by his own admission, an adventurer who is 'only in it for the money.'”  Fortunato is the fastest of the sample characters.  Also, his 'Deftness' (manual dexterity) is on par with that of 'Indiana Ford' and is slightly less than that of Grendith (see next).  “He is persistent if not overly sharp.”

Earl Grendith

Replace the “ndith” in Grendith with “ystoke” and – viola – Tarzan.  In fact, the Captain Ersatz Tarzan in Philip José Farmer's A Feast Unknown is called “Lord Grandrith.”  Among the sample characters, he has the highest scores in Will, Strength, and Deftness.  In terms of Speed, he is just behind Fortunato.  “He is only at home in the wilderness” and there he “will wear only the lightest clothing.”  Grendith has the following skills at their highest possible value:  Knife, Brawling, Throwing, Tracking, Hunting, and Stealth.

Eagle Renwick

Last (and possibly least) we have Eagle Renwick who is based on the character of Col. John “Renny” Renwick, one of Doc Savage's five aides.  Like the 'real' Renwick, he is a civil engineer, but the Daredevils write-up emphasizes his abilities as a pilot.  “A very tall man of somewhat gangling appearance.  He is of a taciturn disposition, but will really enjoy himself in a good fight.”  He's not 'maxed out' on any of his skills and none of his attributes rank among the highest of his fellow sample characters.

Sample characters – in any game – provide a useful perspective as to how the game's designer envisioned player characters.  Of course, it is through their characters that players 'experience' a game.  Therefore, sample characters provide a window into the player experience that the creator intends.  With the characters above, Charrette and Hume show that Daredevils can accommodate a PC party that includes the likes of Tarzan, Sam Spade, Indiana Jones, and a couple of Marvel Comics C-listers (D-listers?).  Some people will like the concept and some won't.  If you don't like the concept, Daredevils can be played in a more subdued manner, but the game allows for – if not encourages – a diverse, flamboyant combination.