The Future Ain't What It Used To Be

As indicated in previous posts, there are generally two types of Psi World campaign; the fist type featuring psis oppressed by normal society and the other type where normal society is threatened by terrorist and criminal psis. Other than the presence of individuals having psionic powers, “background 'chrome' has been kept to a minimum,” the adventure book tells us, “to allow the GM the most design freedom possible.” While kept to a minimum, the standard background intended by the authors indicates a near future setting with technology...

...that is slightly more advanced than the present-day technologies. Regular shuttles service both space stations and lunar bases. The near planets and asteroids have been visited by manned probes. Giant solar collectors beam energy back from space to power an active society in which both software and hardware technologies are well advanced.

Evidently, the authors felt this “background information,” presented in the first paragraph of the introduction, to be a necessary component of any Psi World campaign.

Given that Psi World was published nearly thirty years ago, “the not too distant future” is now. We cannot chide the authors for an inaccurate prediction of the future, but it is interesting to see what the future might have held from the perspective of the 'old school' era. Even so, in those far gone days the extent of space exploration and settlement posited by Psi World seemed to me – a mere lad at the time – somewhat optimistic. Ah, but the shuttles – those were a different matter. When Psi World was written, the age of the Space Shuttle was just beginning. It was an exciting time, full of promise. Shuttle launches were a big deal; important enough that schools would forgo the usual lesson plan in order to watch them on television. Perhaps we can forgive some degree of optimism. Alas, the fruit borne by such optimism has been scant. The shuttle program has been retired without a successor, we have no lunar bases and only two modest space stations.

Anyway, in the authors' campaign, there are “space platforms...orbiting factories and...the lunar research station.” It should be remembered that these advances occurred despite a period of pronounced political upheaval. These space settlements do not have a direct influence on the campaign, but they do serve as a refuge for the “lobos.” The punishment for severe or repeated psionic crimes is a 'psionic lobotomy,' which leaves the recipient without any psionic abilities but which has no effect on the recipient otherwise. Such recipients are lobos, disdained by both normals and psis. Because of their status as pariahs, lobos tend to “migrate” to the space settlements. Realistically, I don't think that people with criminal backgrounds would be permitted in such positions, but it creates an interesting situation in the authors' campaign. Given that psionic abilities are hereditary, it is likely that lobos will produce psionic offspring which may lead to an eventual concentration of psionic individuals among the space settlements.

Other than space technology, the only 'futuristic' advances present in the Psi World rules concern weapons, specifically a couple of items which seem to have come from the Star Frontiers armory. “Tangle weapons” fire pellets that expand and “form a strong webbing which will cover an area of five feet by five feet and is extremely sticky.” Mag-Jet weapons fire gyro-jet projectiles accelerated by strong magnetic fields. There are also gyro-jet needlers, but no tasers.

With regard to the equipment list, “all prices are listed in US dollars and that all prices are roughly those one would expect to find for those items in the current day.” According to this site, $1.00 in 1984 had the same buying power as $2.23 does in 2012. Let's look at some Psi World (i.e., 1980's) prices with this in mind.

Candy Bar	$0.50
Cigarettes, pack	$1.50
New Car, Average	$10,000.00
Gasoline, gallon	$2.00
Home Computer (64K)	$300.00+
Hand-held Computer (16K)	$200.00
LCD Watch	$20.00

Check out the memory on those computers!  That was considered 'well advanced hardware technology.'  Also, I like how they specify that the watch is LCD.  Of course, there's no mention of mobile phones – back in the day, only doctors and drug dealers had those.  Why would it be any different in the future?

The Where and When of Psi World

The setting of Psi World is an amorphous thing. The rulebook's fifth (and last) chapter – titled “The World” – provides setting information. The chapter begins, “It must be remembered that Psi World takes place in our own world, the Earth, in the not too distant future.” However, according to the book's introduction, “The game is set in a world (maybe Earth, maybe not)...” It is perhaps more accurate to say that Psi World represents a projection of what “our own world” might be, given the advent of psionic powers. Even so, the authors' campaign world was an alternate reality having nations different from our Earth. According to the first page of The Psi World Adventure...

The authors' playtest world is based firmly on modern-day Earth. Most of the people, societies, places, and events are derived from existing prototypes.

I think that 'analogs' is a more appropriate term than 'prototypes' in this context. Regardless, the authors' “playtest world” was was not Earth but it closely resembled Earth. 

Psi World does not postulate an exact year for its setting, that “is left to the Gamemaster.”  This represents a good try to avoid becoming dated.  (Make no mistake, Psi World is dated, but for reasons other than naming a particular year in its timeline.)  “The World” chapter explains that any given Psi World campaign should be set “in the next ten to fifty years.”

When describing their “playtest world,” the authors speak in terms of generations. Specifically, in the adventure book they say, “Three generations ago...” Actually, it should be two generations previous because the introductory scenarios transpire during 'the Third Generation.' Anyway, two generations prior to the current generation, 'the Bad Years' occurred. A small segment of the population developed psionic powers; these people became known as psis. Many became criminals or established themselves as petty rulers. “The world suffered a series of major sociological and political upheavals...” Eventually, people without psionics began to confront the 'Psionic Menace.' This was 'the Second Generation' (sometimes referred to as 'the Death of the Innocents'). Psis were egregiously persecuted. “Tens of thousands of psis or suspected psis died or were lobotomized...” With the onset of 'the Third Generation,' the government has stabilized. 'Normal' people discriminate against psis to such an extent that psis are segregated into ghettos.

Prior to 'the First Generation,' the authors' parallel Earth was loosely divided into three political factions: (1) the People's Confederacy (roughly analogous to Communist China) and its satellite nations, (2) the United Commonwealths (analogous to the U.S.), and (3) an association of “neutral nations” (similar to the European Common Market of the 80's). The People's Confederacy collapsed during 'the Bad Years' and has never re-unified. Although there is strong anti-psi sentiment in the United Commonwealths, many psis attempt to immigrate there “to escape the torture and murder in the world's divided and less-advanced nations.”

As hinted in an earlier post, Psi World allows for two types of campaign (or, as stated on the last page of the rulebook, “two basic types of worlds”).  In one type of campaign...

...ostracized and outnumbered Psis fight for survival against a paranoid and totalitarian government.

In the other type of campaign...

...valiant government agents battle cunning and vicious psionic revolutionaries and criminals...

Interestingly, the background setting that the authors provide accommodates both types of campaigns without any modification; the difference is subjective interpretation.  The adventure book contains two scenarios, one for psionic characters “or strongly in favor of the psionic position” and the other for characters who are “members of the Psionic Protection Agency” (the federal 'psi-police'). Both scenarios take place in Bishop County, which is in the “developing” commonwealth of New Arlin.  Bishop County includes Enclave, one of a few experimental communities – built “[t]hrough the use of funds donated by rich liberals” – where psis and normals co-exist in peace and harmony, working together to build a better society.  Neither of the scenarios actually takes place in Enclave, but psionic player characters for the first scenario are presumed to be Enclave residents.

The so-called “target” of the psi scenario is a safe house for the terrorist Psionic Freedom Organization; in essence, 'good psis' (the player characters) confront 'bad psis.'  The antagonist in the police scenario is a psi who is gaining control of an organized crime syndicate.  It seems there is good reason for normal people to be wary of psis.  (Even Enclave has a hidden agenda.)  While the United Commonwealths is not quite “paranoid and totalitarian,” other nations in the “playtest world” seem to fit that description.  In the U.C., the government poses less of a threat to psis than do certain extremist elements of society.  The League of Human Genetic Purity is an underground organization that is thoroughly intolerant of psionic society.  At clandestine League meetings, members wear hoods and frequently engage in “the burning of a large wooden trident (a stylized representation of ψ, the Greek letter Psi).”  How's that for heavy-handed analogy?

Psi World assumes two campaign types; either (1) psis persecuted by normal society or (2) “valiant government agents” who fight against a genuine psionic menace.  What about a third type?  What if a 'psionic elite' took control of the government?  The normals would be ruthlessly exploited by the 'privileged class' of psis.  The player characters would be part of the resistance movement.  In deference to the publication date of Psi World (1984), we can imagine the setting in Orwellian terms; the Thought Police would really be thought police.  Of course, who wants to play a game about psionic powers and not have characters with those powers?

More Relics of Atlantasia

In a previous post, your humble host provided some information about 'relics' in John Holland's fantasy role-playing game The Realms of Atlantasia. The relic well isn't dry yet, so here is another post.

When a character dons the 'Mantle of Justice' (as described on page 232), there are several effects. One effect is that “the character can see through any disguise (even magically induced).” OK, cool. However, another effect is that the character “immediately goes blind (for justice is blind after all).” The blindness is permanent. That's right, this relic has contradictory effects. Although blind, the character can somehow “see” through disguises.

Holland tells us on page 233 that when “a dedicated to Kahlah [sic] (priesthood or bard)” uses the 'Lyre of Symphony,' that unspecified noun “gains -20% to defense.” That's not really a gain, it's a penalty. It seems that Kahlah wants her dedicated, unspecified nouns to suffer in combat. On the other hand...

Any who is not dedicated to Kahlah that picks up this lyre will immediately forget their entire past (including name) and restart their life as a bard dedicated to Kahlah. They do gain the ability to play 10 epic songs instantly.

Awesome. All of the development that you've put into a character – all of the plot hooks, all of the motivation, all of the personality – gone in an instant, just because that character picked up what seemed to be an innocuous musical instrument. Oh wait, this is Atlantasia – never mind.  As compensation there's the ability to play ten epic songs! What's an epic song? I have no idea; the only time Holland uses the word “epic” is in the above quote.  There are no epic songs.

According to page 234, the 'Marysh-ae-scand-zymurr' is a “1/4 staff” made “by the elven God Ccorr-yll-ae-lyrr.”  It is useful only to shamans of Ccorr-yll-ae-lyrr but if any evil person should pick up this relic, “they die immediately.”  That's what you get for being evil and picking things up.

On page 238, Holland describes another elf relic. The 'Shry-ae-ghan' is some kind of bow “donated to the world by the elven God Pprae-gahn.” Elves get special bonuses when using this item and Holland lets us know “these bonuses for elves is NOT added to the bonuses for everyone else.” [sic] I think Holland means that the elf bonuses are not cumulative with the bonuses that non-elves receive.

Yet another elf relic is described on page 241.  The 'Ahryss-ae-scand' is a “a full map of Atlantasia that is covered in sparkling runes” made “by the elven God of Magic Llugh-ae-caan.” The possessor can use it to 'translocate' to anywhere depicted on the map. “After 5 uses, the map will disappear.” If the character is an elven mage, he or she gets a telepathic link with Par-Traxx!  However, the relic disappears from the elven mage's possession “During the next Season of Chaos” (or, I guess, after using it five times – whichever comes first).

Speaking of Par-Traxx, it seems I was in error when I referred to his 'Staff of the Cosmos' as an artifact; it is a relic since it was fashioned by the demi-god Chaos Dragon Traxx-ell-rann-brer.  Did I mention that the possessor of the 'Staff of the Cosmos' get free access* to the never described Dragon Isles?  Well, he (or she) does.

When the 'Orb of Religion' “enters an unstable country, war breaks out within 1/2 cycle.”  Also, according to page 243, “if it stays in the proximity for 1 full season, friends will turn on friends.”  Why would John Holland call this the 'Orb of Religion'?

Remember the 'Crown of Power' from the previous post?  It was created “by the Shadow Dragon demi-god Pael-zar-grann-dazz.”  (Is anyone surprised that Atlantasia has a Shadow Dragon demi-god with four syllables and three Z's in its name?)  This relic only benefits mindweavers.  Anyway, according to page 228, this relic...

...gives the mindweaver the ability to link with all mindweavers (except Anton who has discovered a way to block this)...

Anton.  That's nice.  Who the hell is Anton?  (Is anyone surprised that John Holland names a non-player character but never bothers to explain what he's talking about?)  Thanks for telling us that someone we don't know anything about isn't affected by some obscure relic; that's much more important than knowing how fast our characters can move.


*  Actually, access to the Dragon Isles isn't so expensive (especially in the off-season), but the cost of parking is horrendous.

Role Playing Game of Psionic Powers

A multi-sided game system in which the players may choose to belong

to either side in a sociological and genetic clash of power.

                                                        -- From the Introduction

Science fiction fans and RPG enthusiasts are doubtless familiar with the word psionic.  The word ultimately derives from psi (ψ), a term for 'psychic phenomena' which apparently was first used by Robert Thouless (What? No thoul?) in a paper published in 1942.  The -onics (as in 'electronics') came from science fiction writer/editor John W. Campbell, Jr. in the early 50's.  Campbell applied the term "psionic" to a 'Hieronymus machine,' a pseudoscientific gadget.  Unlike Hieronymus, Campbell believed that in order to generate the effects of the machine, a person didn't need the actual machine, just a symbolic representation of it.  Powers of the mind would do the actual work.  Personally, I think a better word would have been 'psitropic,' but there's nothing I can do about it.

Psi World was published as a boxed set in 1984 by Fantasy Games Unlimited. (This was back in the day when publishing a role-playing game as a boxed set was standard practice, not a 'retro-novelty.') Included in the box were: a 32-page rulebook, a 20-page adventure book, a Game Master's screen, a master character sheet, and dice (2d10 and 2d6). Evidently, box sets are still available from the publisher, as are two of the three supplements. Otherwise, PDF scans are available from RPGNow.

The game was designed by Delbert and Cheron Carr (or, as they are credited, Del Carr & Cheron). Prior to Psi World, they both worked on some of the early Role Aids books from Mayfair; after Psi World, they lack any RPG credits.

Art was provided by 'Bain Sidhe Studio.' Among the studio's members were Bill Willingham and Matt Wagner. Willingham's art is, of course, familiar to aficionados of 'old school' role-playing games. Both Willingham and Wagner would go on to achieve remarkable success in the comics industry. (By the time of the publication of Psi World, Wagner's signature characters, Grendel and Mage, had both seen print, but his fame was still accruing.) Other listed members of the studio were Bill Cucinotta and Rich Rankin, whose accomplishments in the comics industry have not managed to rival that of their onetime colleagues.

Psi World may not have been the original name chosen for the game.  In Section 1A (Scenarios and Design Ideas) of the adventure book, we find the following sentence:

It is the wish of the Authors that players and referees should have FUN in their quest to fulfill fantasies and live out dreams in all potential worlds of Psi Wars.

So, the working title for the game may have been Psi Wars.  Psi World is certainly more appropriate; Psi Wars sounds like...well, a war game.

I find the above quote interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, the word 'authors' is capitalized while the words 'players' and 'referees' are not.  In the dedication, the Carrs seem to be more humble; 'authors' is not capitalized.  Also,  the term Gamemaster (thus capitalized) is more often used in the rules as opposed to 'referee.'  'Game Master' (as two words) seems to appear only on the back of the box. The other reason I find the sentence interesting is that it emphasizes the concept that games should be fun.  Nearly every game contains this exhortation in some form or other and, sadly, it is often overlooked or misconstrued.  Enjoyment is the entire purpose, not some ancillary effect.  Sometimes, it seems to your humble host that certain prominent entities within the OSR do not truly appreciate this or, perhaps, they have forgotten it.  I'm sorry...was I ranting again?  Let us move on.

Psi World is described thusly on RPGGeek:

Heavily influenced by such classic science fiction as Van Vogt's Slan and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep [sic], the PCs are Psis in a world where they are hunted by an oppressive government. Alternatively, the game allows the players to take on the rolls of the hunters, as well.

Upon reading this description, your humble host thought that it must apply to an edition of Psi World with which he was not familiar.  Alas, there is only one edition of Psi World; the breadth of knowledge of the person writing the description seems to have been inadequate to do justice to the game.  I cannot discount A. E. van Vogt’s Slan as an influence – it is a science fiction classic – but I would hesitate to say that Psi World was heavily influenced by it.  More direct influences certainly include motion pictures such as Scanners and The Fury as well as various works by Stephen King.  Otherwise, there is definitely a PKD vibe at work in Psi World, but it emanates from works other than 'Androids.'

Additionally, the RPGGeek description states that player characters are Psis "hunted by an oppressive government" or they "take on the rolls of the hunters."  This is the 'multi-sided' aspect referenced in the introductory quote; however, the implication in the RPGGeek description is that the government is oppressive regardless.  This is simply not the case and I hope to show this as I continue my analysis of the game.