Post Apocalyptic Science Fantasy Mecha (CROSSOVER) Game: Gundam, Evangelion, Mazinger

EDIT: Not sure why the majority of the images I tried attaching didn't work upon initial posting, will see if I can fix...

Setting

A Super Robot Wars style crossover! And also post apocalyptic science fantasy! What if, hear me out, instead of a post apocalyptic science fantasy world of warriors and wizards, instead it was mecha and kaiju? The evil wizard overlords have "Super Robots" like Mazinger Z or Gurren Lagann, and our scrappy OSR-esque underdogs have "Real Robots" like Ichinana or mass-produced Gundam GMs. But over time, they may scavenge or steal Super Gear and Mods to empower them further.

I couldn't think of a good "Real Robot" alternative to Getter Robo but I'm including this pic anyway.

System

The system is a stripped down version of Into the Odd or Maximum Recursion Depth, with the Mecha Concept Crafting mechanics from MRD Vol. 2. I've mostly moved away from Get into the Machine, Shinji!, it was a decent proof of concept but now I use basically just MRD + Mecha Concept Crafting.

Most recent MRD Vol. 2 Play Report with a Mecha Battle for additional reference.

Into the Odd Compatibility

Each Ability Score is its own HP Pool. Additional HP is just a buffer if you take additional damage after depleting an Ability. Ability Score damage does not affect Saves.

Karmic Attachments listed for each PC are character goals. You can treat like a Milestone XP thing, or just a suggestion.

Maximum Recursion Depth Compatibility

Karma is not demonstrably real in this micro-setting, so Karma and Karmic Attachments actually are just an abstraction (unlike MRD). You can replace Karma and Karmic Attachments with something like Gilgulim and Nazarite Vows from MRD Vol. 2, or with an HP buffer and Milestone XP like explained above for Into the Odd Compatibility.

Brief Recapitulation of Mechanics

• Just Ability Scores, HP, etc. for Pilots.
• Each Character is assumed to be able to deal d6 Damage of any Ability Score in or out of Mecha as contextually appropriate, unlike MRD where it varies by Item, Feature, or Nazarite Contract in MRD Vol. 2.
• Saves are roll-under Ability Score or MRD style: roll-under Ability Score and roll-under Karma for degrees of success/failure.
• Each Mecha has a Core and three Gear, each consisting of two words (WORD1+WORD2).
• Swappable Mods can be added to a Gear ((WORD1+WORD2)+WORD3) and expand the scope of what they can do.
• Use of Gear is freeform; maybe it deals d6, maybe it requires a Save, maybe it just does whatever it does based on GM rulings.
• When Gear are disabled, they lose a Word. Mods are destroyed permanently, but regular Gear compounds can be repaired outside of Conflict. Again, how they are disabled is freeform.
• Enemies can be defeated either by depleting HP (most enemies just have a single pool, PCs have separate pools for each Ability Score), or by destroying Mecha Gear and disabling the Mecha, if in Mecha Conflict.

Koji Kabuto in Z Armor.

Pre-Gen PCs

If you want to make more PCs, just generate an Into the Odd character, reflavor or tweak it as you see fit, and make a Mecha with Mecha Concept Crafting.

Pilot

Shiro Kabuto

Even after his brother's death, and well past the end of the world, Shiro still lives Koji's shadow, the hero pilot of Mazinger Z.

Karmic Attachment / Milestone Goal

Shiro wants to find a Super Robot of his own and become an even more famous hero than his brother. Sometimes he's more concerned with being recognized as a hero than actually being a hero...

Ability Scores (ITO/MRD)

STR: 11, DEX: 14, WIL: 11

NAT: 12, WIS: 10, PRO: 13

Unique Skills

Super Science: Trained under his Grandfather and "The Three Scientists", Shiro has exceptional science and mecha engineering skills.

Starting Equipment

Z Armor: +1 STR/NAT armor. Helmet allows for limited remote controlling of Ichinana Blanc.

Photon Gun: Typical lasergun.

Mecha

CORE: Ichinana Blanc (BLEACH+AMBITION)

An all-white mecha with a red visor. The Ichinana were mass-produced units designed off of Mazinger Z.

GEAR 1: Assault Rifle (ASSAULT+RIFLE)

A mecha-sized assault rifle useful for general purposes.

GEAR 2: Breast Fire (BREAST+FIRE)

Chest-mounted plasma blaster. Extra-powerful but requires charge-up time leaving Ichinana Blanc vulnerable, and uses a lot of energy.

GEAR 3: Mazinger Blade (SUPER+SWORD)

Magic sword made of Super Alloy Z, originally wielded by the Super Robot Mazinger Z. Unwieldy for Ichinana Blanc, but capable of cutting through that which would be otherwise insurmountable.

Starting Mods: HURRICANE, WING

Like this except all white and with a red visor.

Pilot

Rei Ayanami

This Rei clone was activated when the world ended in order to enact Human Instrumentality. She knows she is a clone, and knows her instructions, but otherwise knows very little else.

Karmic Attachment / Milestone Goal

Rei was created with a specific purpose, to protect the developing Evangelion within her Mecha, and enact Human Instrumentality. But, as far as she knows, SEELE is no more, the world as it once was is no more, and despite these obligations thrust upon her, she seeks to find her own purpose.

Ability Scores (ITO/MRD)

STR: 8, DEX: 10, WIL: 14

NAT: 9, WIS: 15, PRO: 10

Evangelion didn't really have special items besides the plug suit and this Rei's Mecha isn't a typical Eva, so I had to get creative...

Unique Skills

AT Field: Rei can produce a psychic field protecting herself against physical and mental attacks once per Conflict.

Starting Equipment

Plug Suit: Although not piloting an Evangelion, the Plug Suit still gives Rei enhanced environmental protection and the ability to breathe the LCL fluid in the incubation chamber of Jet Alone Duo.

Lancer: A communication device with an orbital weapons satellite. Rei can summon a bunker-busting "Lance of Longinus" once per scenario (however you're defining it in your game). Risks alerting whoever remains of SEELE any time it's used.

Mecha

CORE: Jet Alone Duo (JET+ALONE)

A Jet Alone mecha with a swollen belly. It carries an incubation chamber for gestating an Evangelion.

GEAR 1: Giant Hammer (GIANT+HAMMER)

A giant hammer, good for close range impact.

GEAR 2: Wrist Ring (ELECTRIC+RING)

Wrist-mounted ring capable of electric discharge. Not especially powerful and minimal range, but good for area of effect.

GEAR 3: AT Field (ABSOLUTE+TERROR)

The incubating Evangelion coupled with Rei can produce a psychic field providing momentary protection.

Starting Mods: SHIELD, POSITRON

The one on the left, except if it looked pregnant. Jet Alone didn't do much in the anime so some of its Gear are inspired by Jet Alone Kai, but I prefer the simple design of the original Jet Alone.

Pilot

Quattro Bajeena

An infamous mobile suit pilot during the Universal Century wars, thought dead, now lives under a (not-so-)new alias as a restless and guilt-ridden wanderer.

Karmic Attachment / Milestone Goal

Quattro once held great ambitions for the Space Colonies and the course of humanity, and he nearly changed the world. Living in the wreckage of the world at least in part of his own doing, Quattro seeks atonement, but he isn't quite sure yet what that means.

Ability Scores (ITO/MRD)

STR: 14, DEX: 11, WIL: 11

NAT: 15, WIS: 11, PRO: 11

Like this but Old Man Logan aged.

Unique Skills

Newtype: Quattro is a low-level Newtype, someone with exceptional human abilities and psychically enhanced mobile suit piloting skills.

Starting Equipment

Rapier: Quattro is an exceptional fencer and swordsman.

Psycho-Frame: A handheld, T-shaped device allowing him to pilot mobile suits as though they were an extension of his body. With the psycho-frame enhancing his natural Newtype abilities, he can empathically "read" other pilots.

Mecha

CORE: Hyakku Shiki Retrograde (GOLD+RETRO)

A once cutting edge golden mobile suit, rusted and well past its prime.

GEAR 1: IDE System (IMAGE+ENCODE). Image Directive Encode System. High-resolution real-time data streamed from Hyakku Shiki's visor. Only a Newtype like Quattro could process it effectively.

GEAR 2: Beam Saber (BEAM+SABER). Lightweight melee solution, requires a lot of energy.

GEAR 3: Clay Bazooka (CLAY+BAZOOKA). Slow but effective long-range explosive.

Starting Mods: VULCAN, MEGA

Like this but rustier and more of a rose gold color.

If there's interest (or if I have interest), I might make a future post with a campaign setup, small sandbox hexcrawl, or some encounter tables, basically a primer for getting the ball rolling with a campaign or short adventure of this.

GLOG Two-Player Class: Ogre

An old and unfinished draft from 2019. Bad Whiskey Games beat me to the punch and my heart wasn't really in it anyway, but this is technically playable albeit incomplete, not a terrible writeup, so here it is for all.

The fearsome two-headed ogres cometh! For creatures so large and formidable, one may wonder why they aren't more ubiquitous. As it turns out, the two-headed ogre has a proclivity for getting in its own way; the perfect counterfactual to two heads being better than one. It's not that they aren't bright, contrary to popular belief, ogres are naturally quite gifted, and many an ogre head has trained in the finer arts of wizardry. However, the ogre bickers with itself so frequently, so tactlessly, so shamelessly, as to give the impression of being an adolescent dimwit. That said, an ogre whose two heads have learned to work in unison is a threat of both brain and brawn, not to be trifled with.

Luneder: https://www.deviantart.com/luneder/art/Two-Headed-Ogre-433111634

Unique Mechanics:

• The Ogre is played by two players! It has two heads but one body, so while they share physical stats, they have separate mental stats.


• The Ogre is a large creature, so adjust dice accordingly.


• The two heads may add abilities from the templates below, or take separate classes. If they take separate classes, only the head that took that class gains the benefit (if this would not make sense for some reason, consult your GM and come up with a reasonable solution).


• The two players choose their actions simultaneously in combat. They should write down roughly what they intend to do and hand it to the GM (or blurt it out simultaneously). The Ogre can attack twice, or attack and cast a spell, or attack and move, but only if moving towards the target. if one head moves away from the target that the other head attempted to attack, treat as a critical fail. Basically, magic resolves first, then movement, then physical attack.


• Outside of combat, the Ogre is assumed to function normally, unless the players disagree on a course of action. They can argue it out (in character, of course) until the GM gets bored, then the GM can make them roll to Punch it Out.


• Punch it Out: A coin flip or high-low on a die. The two heads punch, kick, and wrestle each-other / themselves in a cartoon dust-pile fight for a moment, and then take whatever action the winner of the roll decided. 

Starting Gear:

Template:
A
B
C
D

Tunnels & Trolls: Maximum Hack Pt. 2, Character Types and Talents

As I explained in the first post, this is an old draft I finally decided to publish. Apparently I never completed it, but it is what it is.

This is a continuation of TNT: Max, my heavily-modified hack of TNT (that may or may not get re-branded if I think it's sufficiently different from TNT proper). In the first post I talk about character creation and abilities, which I think maintain the spirit of TNT, while being more streamlined. Here I'll talk about Character Types and Talents.

Character Types

Warrior

The Warrior is virtually identical to TNT Deluxe.

• +1d6 combat dice per level (unarmed or melee weapon).
• Can double the damage reduction of armor but increase chance of it breaking (Roll SR LK for Wear & Tear).
• SR starts at 1, on each fail, increase subsequent Wear & Tear SR level by 1 and decrease damage reduction of armor by 1, until it no longer provides any more protection.
• No Magic

Rogue

I am not a fan of the TNT Deluxe Rogue. It seems to suffer from the "generalist" problem; it can do everything mildly well, but nothing exceptionally well, which is just not satisfying. I attempt to ameliorate that with this version of the Rogue. This version doubles-down on being a "skill monkey". Since I intend to heavily emphasize talents in this system as compared to TNT Deluxe, this will hopefully make Rogues much more useful.

• Start with one Level 1 spell and one extra Talent.
• Gain a number of spells each level with a total spell level up to their Rogue Level.
• E.g. A level three Rogue can learn three level 1 spells, or one level 2 spell and one level 1 spell.
• Once per day, can roll a LK SR in place of another SR at one level higher than the SR it's replacing.

Wizard

Other than gaining spells per level in addition to being able to learn spells by other means, wizards in TNT Max are basically the same as TNT Deluxe.

• Start with all first-level spells.
• Spells cost Wizard Level – Spell Level less PRE to cast (e.g. for a level 2 wizard casting a level 1 spell, the spell costs 2-1=1 less PRE).
• When casting with a focus (staff, wand, amulet, etc.) subtract Wizard Level from PRE cost (e.g. a level 2 wizard with a focus spends 2 fewer PRE to cast a spell).
• Only apply Combat Adds to Light Weapons.

Special Types

This includes Multi-Typing, Subtypes, Specialists, and other unique cases.

Multi-Typing

A character may choose to take the benefits of a different type. In other words, at Level 2, a Warrior may choose to take a level as a Rogue, meaning they would be considered a Level 1 Warrior and a Level 1 Rogue. It would not be practical to multi-type with Warrior and Wizard since they have certain mutually exclusive abilities (as a Warrior, you can't cast magic; as a Wizard, you can only apply Combat Adds to Light Weapons). In such a case, it may be better to make a subtype.

Subtypes

While it's fun to come up with new Character Types, sometimes it's more practical just to tweak a pre-existing Character Type. It's a good template to easily hack in your own Character Types without too much worry about balance or playtesting. I posted a few TNT Character Sybtypes that could be tweaked for this system pretty easily. In particular, if you want a completely non-magical Rogue, you can use the Ace; give them an additional talent instead of a spell at level 1, and they can add their Ace level to SRs when applying a talent in addition to the normal talent bonus.

Specialists

I have somewhat mixed feelings about including this feature from TNT Deluxe, but you certainly don't have to use it. If you rolled triplets on an attribute during character creation (put one or more asterisks by the attribute), they are considered "Specialists". You may want to tweak it depending on your setting, but I would say this should grant them something like a talent, or level 1 spell-like ability, as the result of a mutation or some other non-mundane means. It should be something that feels cool, but doesn't make them uber-powerful compared to the rest of the party.

Talents

Unfinished 🙃

Tunnels & Trolls: Maximum Hack Pt. 1, Character Creation and Attributes

This is a super old draft from like 2019. I kinda stopped with TNT after I had an off-putting interaction with one of the TNT devs (won't say which one, and will say explicitly it was nothing terrible, more just a difference of opinion?) and also because my Aquarian Dawn TNT Campaign got killed by covid (or maybe it had gotten disrupted by work, I don't remember anymore).

Anyway, I haven't been up for writing lately but wanted to post something, so I'm digging this out, make what you will of it. There's a part 2, I forget if that's sufficient or if I had left it in an incomplete state, but I'll post part 2 eventually as well.

design notes in this color

Tunnels & Trolls: Maximum

Or, 

The GLOG of TNT

I've been playing TNT for a little while now and really love the system. Here were my initial thoughts when I first started getting into it. This is my attempt to create a new version of the game, one that streamlines things and makes some heavy modifications, but is still true to what TNT is; in the spirit of DIY efforts towards old-school D&D from the OSR movement, and in particular GLOG. Even though I actually have very little experience playing GLOG, one thing that I like about it, is its emphasis on streamlining DIY and customization, and I hope this hack for TNT ends up working in a similar regard. While this hack does change the core game, it should be mostly backwards compatible with other versions of TNT, with a little bit of adjustment. It is probably presumptuous of me to assume this hack could have the same impact for TNT as GLOG has had for OSR, but that's the goal. I should also say that at this stage this hack is mostly untested, except for the pieces of retroactively integrated into my current campaign, but TNT is a simple enough system that I feel reasonably comfortable with the changes I've made to the system.

One additional note: I may decide to "rebrand" this entirely, removing TNT-specific terminology and making it effectively its own game, since TNT doesn't have a proper OGL or equivalent. My understanding is that the TNT people are pretty reasonable, but if I take this far enough, I'd like to actually have ownership of it, and I think the end product will likely be distinct enough to justify it. But at least for now I will continue to refer to it as a TNT hack.

I've been appreciating following Jones Smith's Fiction First system unfold at wasitlikely, so I've decided to break this hack up into several posts as well, and then I'll collate it all at the end. This makes it more manageable, and it also allows for me to adjust things based on any feedback.

Another note, I will likely continue to make new Character Types and Hacks for TNT Deluxe as I've been doing, but when possible, I will try to include versions for TNT Max as well, and also to make TNT Max versions of other Character Types I've already posted.

Character Creation

Roll 3d6 six times, drop the lowest two, and assign the values to the attributes Physique (PHY), Finesse (FIN), Presence (PRE), and Luck (LCK). You can be less generous at your table if you'd prefer, but I like to be nice.

If you roll triple values on any one of those 3d6 rolls, roll 3d6 again and take the total as a single value, and put a * next to that attribute for every triplet.

Either before or after attribute rolls, choose or roll randomly for a Character Type and apply any starting abilities.

Take an equipment package or some starting amount of gold (250 for instance).

Take three talents.

I've reduced the attributes for simplicity and out of personal preference. I'll explain my reasoning for these attributes next. Otherwise, this is mostly similar to standard TNT. I increased the number of talents because I think talents are a nice, light, flexible way to give characters special abilities, and talents will also effectively replace kindreds. I realize kindreds (race in D&D) is something many people like about the game, but I don't think it works as well with the decreased number of attributes since it's based on mulitplicative modifiers and how they affect combat adds. Even with D&D I prefer a race-as-flavor or race-as-class approach. However, if you want special kindred abilities, talents can be used in that regard (as discussed in a later post).

Attributes

Physique (PHY): This attribute reflects physical abilities, such as the ability to inflict physical harm, fighting skill, weight-lifting / encumbrance (if you're so inclined), physical durability, fortitude, etc.

• Use for PHY SRs.
• Add each point above 12 to damage total as Combat Adds.
• PHY also reflects the maximum amount of damage you can take before being incapacitated.

Finesse (FIN): This attribute reflects dexterity, flexibility, acrobatics, speed, agility, defensive maneuvers, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, etc. 

• Use for FIN SRs.
• Add each point above 12 to damage total as Combat Adds.
• Use for missile attacks and finesse attack SRs.

Presence (PRE): This attribute reflects certain ephemeral aspects of a person; their force of will, magical abilities, ability to draw an audience, etc.

• Use for PRE SRs.
• Certain spells have a PRE minimum in order to be cast.
• PRE also reflects maximum mana for spellcasting.

Luck (LK): This attribute reflects luck as an actual force of nature in the universe, but also gets used as a catch-all for things that might not fit neatly into the other attributes, such as item durability (Wear & Tear). In certain cases it is also used to defend against the effects of magic; primarily curses or magic which affects fates and destinies.

• Use for LK SRs.
• Add each point above 12 to damage total as Combat Adds.
• Use for Wear & Tear SRs.

Attributes are where this hack most differ from core TNT. I prefer to have a few, very broad, very archetypal attributes. TNT Deluxe attributes aren't bad, and I can understand why somebody might want to keep Strength and Consitution or Intelligence and Wizardry separate, but that's not what I'm doing here. I've said before on this blog that I'm a big fan of Cypher System, so this is somewhat modeled after that. I've always liked the idea of "Presence"; in part because I don't like Intelligence as a quantitative attribute, but also because Presence allows you to condense magical ability, charisma, and some of these other ephemeral qualities in a useful and interesting way, so you can avoid dump stats while still codifying these qualities. I don't plan on making the curse / fates aspect of LCK a major sub-system, if I make it at all it would be bolt-on, but I do think that with four attributes, it doesn't make sense to have magic condensed solely into a single attribute. 

In subsequent posts I will talk about the different character types, talents, character advancement, and other basic mechanics of the game. It is mostly pretty similar to TNT Deluxe except where it is accounting for these attributes, but I do try to somewhat standardize characters and NPCs with a uniform Character Rating metric, but I'm getting ahead of myself!

5 FIST Characters

I've been growing interested in FIST, a rules-light RPG with a very Metal Gear Solid vibe, but in a way that feels true to Kojima and not just derivative, and taking other influences from the likes of Lovecraft, GI Joe, and Doom Patrol, which of course drew my attention even before I saw it referenced as an inspiration.

I may want to do a bigger FIST post down the line, or maybe a micro-setting using FIST as the core system, but in the mean time, here is my attempt at a few premade characters randomly generated:

Codename: Anti-Mutant P

Tachyonic "mutant" whose DNA was chipped and blasted with psychonine, the nucleotide from the center of all spacetimes, reduced like a block of marble into the teleological True One towards which all life unknowingly aspires. It modulates itself with genetic blocks like a robot via horizontal gene transfer, imposing its nature onto what it appends.

Role:

Icon (5): Terraform the world into a Dadaist, Surrealist, Psychedelic ecosystem.

Traits:

Veteran (97), Mutant (51)

Inventory:

Assault Rifle

Toxic Grenade

Attributes:

0 FORCEFUL, -1 TACTICAL, 0 CREATIVE, 0 REFLEX, 1 ARMOR, 8 HP

Codename: MATRIX Dominatrix

ENM Switch and sapiosex terrorist triggering sensory meridians and erogenous zones in a Multisensory Autonomic Tantric Rigging Idiosyncratic Xenophilic field of flavors and pheromones, whispers and whimpers, hallucinated handcuffs, and indecent illusions. A decimated duo warmongering the noosphere.

Role:

Avenger (1): Their Lover was modified by CYCLOPS into a necroneiropath, aggressively consensually, yet nonetheless they seek revenge.

Traits:

Illusion (40), Lover (45)

Inventory:

Whip

Silver Handgun

Attributes:

0 FORCEFUL, 0 TACTICAL, 1 CREATIVE, 0 REFLEX, 1 ARMOR (protecting others), 10 HP

Codename: Spoiled Kool-Aid

They used to work in the KSF (Kraft Special Forces), but turned whistleblower when they learned about the military-funded Kool-Aid experiments. This is also the source of their addictions.

Role:

Wildcard (9): Multi-substance abuser who mixes their substances into Kool-Aid, and this is an important part of the ritual of their addiction. In their drug-addled state they believe themselves to be the Kool-Aid Man, and when they burst through objects they yell "Oh yeah!"

Traits:

Turncoat (91)

Heavyweight (34)

Inventory:

Enemy Uniform

Shotgun

Attributes:

0 FORCEFUL, 1 TACTICAL, 0 CREATIVE, 0 REFLEX, 0 ARMOR, 12 HP

Codename: Deep Indigo

An Artificial Empathy (AE) android. The pocket dimension is where they store the bad emotions, which they photograph before deleting the memory. The invisibility cloak is for emotional support.

Role:

Chessmaster (2): Use the pocket dimension in their head as a Phantom Zone Prison for the most despicable despots.

Traits:

Retreat (63)

Empathy (23)

Inventory:

Durable Camera for memories

Invisibility Cloak

Attributes:

-1 FORCEFUL, 0 TACTICAL, 1 CREATIVE, 0 REFLEX, 0 ARMOR, 10 HP

Codename: Nate Nickel

They see themselves as a super-statistician who leverages their brilliance towards both intimidation and negotiation, but actually most of their skill comes down to their mindreading and bombsuit. Their only weakness in such matters is their unwillingness to be perceived as anything other than a statistical genius.

Role:

Gladiator (3): The warrior they model themselves off of is the statistician, writer, sports analyst, and professional poker player Nate Silver. They use their knowledge of stats along with their mindreading and bomb suit to be the best bluffer.

Traits:

Detonator (18)

Mindreader (49)

Inventory:

X-Ray Specs

Bomb Suit

Attributes:

1 FORCEFUL, 0 TACTICAL, -1 CREATIVE (+1 mindreading for specific info), 0 REFLEX, 2 ARMOR, 11 HP

My "MRD" PCs

Should have included this in my last post after Sofinho kindly shared our interview, but reminder: MRD game jam is ongoing, and one entrant will have art and layout commissioned for their work. I've extended the deadline a bit further for the reason below:

I tested positive for covid. If you have not already been vaccinated and don't have a good excuse, fuck off. If you haven't gotten boosted yet, don't be lazy like I was, and go do it ASAP! Feeling mostly ok, pretty mild symptoms, mostly just feeling really tired. I was starting to schedule a bunch more interviews, apologies to those of you who were expecting to hear from me recently...

Anyway, on to our post of the week:

I'm usually a GM but I've been trying to be a player more in some drop-in games, and as part of that, I've had the opportunity to actually play MRD characters now, twice.

The first is from Mike's of (Sheep and Sorcery) Weirdways game, where I adapted the Crashing Rocket Nixie Poltergeist Form and took items from the MRD book, but applied to his game. We haven't quite finished that adventure yet but I'm really enjoying the character and the adventure as a whole.

Weirdways

Name: Mad(dison) Marceau

Questions

What are two locations you desperately want to go or things you need to do on the road?

Stand atop One World Trade Center.

Dive into the ocean from a lighthouse along the Oregon Coast.

What's different about you? Why don't you fit in?

Has numerous niche interests which they obsess over in bursts, and even within those niches, their sensibilities defy the norm still.

Are you a fantasy creature? If so, what kind?

A Nixie (sea fairy) who inexplicably also has wings.

Why do you have no money?

Has a tendency of finding great success... and then blowing it all up (sometimes literally).

Who is someone you know who you might meet on the road?

William Vita, the Eccentric Psientist.

Who, if anyone, owns the van? Who drives?

TBD

Why are your characters traveling together?

TBD

One of you has an aunt in the midwest who has told you that her house is haunted and she needs help. Which one of you is it? Why is she calling you?

TBD

One of you is dead set on going to Burning Man. Which one of you is it?

Seems like it could be Mad Marceau...

Aspect 1 (General Concept): Crashing Rocket Nixie

Aspect 2 (Something weird but cool): Their third eye expresses absolute terror

Aspect 3 (kind of like...): Harley Quin

Important Items

Nixie Sticks: Nobody's quite sure what's in them- what a rush! Just tear it open, pour on your tongue and come alive. Allegedly grants magic powers.

Rocket Kit: Your kit can make rockets, fireworks, and other sparkling and exploding things.

Weaponized Meme: Weaponized, Military-grade meme.

Gateway Chalk: Draw a door and it appears, leading to some previously visited location the user chooses. It must be redrawn after each use.

Bottle of Indigo Pills: Experience euphoria and third-eye awareness.

Soul Mate: One high calorie protein bar made by specially-trained Buddhist Monks. (this later got traded for an awesome magic unicorn horn using the top spinner below)

Top Spinner: Spin the top to train an ad-tech machine learning algorithm. Spins whatever you’re selling.

Discredit Card: Can wipe out any one debt—of any size including non-monetary debts.

The second was from a one shot with SageDaMage, where we actually were using MRD as the core system, but the adventure was a condensed version of Silent Titans beginning in a modern but mythical Wales. It was really cool to finally play Silent Titans, and I was glad how easily the two go together. Obviously I'm biased, but I think more people should try out using MRD with other weird modules like this ;).

Clerval Fritz
Former mergers and acquisitions specialist with a background in organizational psychology who became a senator. The acquisitions were scrapped for parts towards his esoteric ends, prematurely ending the dreams of many would-be entrepreneurs.
The last acquisition ended in an experiment gone wrong, a laser-light explosion, disturbing noises, and many, many dead. The fallout was contained and the story buried, but shortly afterwards Clerval, alongside his new Oracle Iolo, entered the world of politics.
Leveraging his corporate connections to secure non-competitive deals to acquire private resources, he intends to use technology, psychology, and metaphysics to birth a superorganism from the body of the government.
In a past life, he stored a PHYLACTERY in Wales, which he now intends to recover to use towards birthing the superorganism.  

Iolo (10 HP, the NS Pet Special Item): Pale blue furred ape-hominid with a missing eye, a notable scar at the back of its head suggestive of a projectile wound, and a skin graft over its mouth. It is bound in a restraining jacket and chains. It gnaws its mouth graft into bloody pulp to speak in profound gibberish (Wd6), after which the graft reseals in a process sounding like the mashing of raw skin and mid-coital fluids.

Pyramid Shining Brightly
NAT: 13
WIS: 14
PRO: 14
Karma: 3 

Career
12. Government, Politics, Public Administration 

Quirk
2. You are invisible when nobody is watching. 

Starting Karmic Attachments
1. You have a goal, and nothing will get between you and accomplishing it. Whatever it is, whatever must be done is always justified. At least one person suffered for being in your way and seek vengeance.
(In particular, the company sacrificed in the failed attempt at creating a superorganism, which also led to the creation of the SPECIAL SHINING LASER GUN and Iolo)
6. Your relationships are superficial and transactional. You have no real friends or loved ones, just people you want things from and want things from you in turn.
(The various aspirational entrepreneurs he's worked with, or Iolo) 

Reincarnation Ritual
1. Hold tightly to an item representing your value and rest.
(The SPECIAL SHINING LASER GUN) 

Poltergeist Features
0. POWER MOVE: You developed an intuition for manipulation through overt displays of power: a powerful handshake, biting apathetic humor or sarcasm. Pd8 but if attempted against somebody with higher PRO take Wd4.
4. PHYLACTERY: In a past life, an item of value to you was buried in a place of personal significance. So long as it remains undisturbed, PRO Damage against you is Impaired and cannot cause you to accrue Karma.
6. SPECIAL SHINING LASER GUN: An experimental gold and white limestone gun with a pyramidal shape at the muzzle’s end. It’s a fascinating story how you got it. Fires a Karmic force beam (Nd10) with a 1-in-6 chance of accruing 1 Karma. 

Special Items:
84. NS PET: Nature Spirit pet with animal intelligence, and usually one
Damage Die for one Ability at d6, 10 HP, and one utility special ability.
It has some behavioral quirk making it prone to trouble and frequently
imposes inopportune Karmic Attachments.
Usage Die: NA

The Profound Gibberish of Iolo
1. Drip drip walking down the blue lane one wonders why the sky hurts so and when the moon will just fall already GOD DAMNIT!
2. How am I supposed to LIVE LAUGH LOVE under these conditions!?
3. You fuck! How dare you bring such invisible joy to the souls of children not yet born into the indigo universe!
4. Clouds crying sunshine bring delirium to the prairie dogs who would otherwise kill themselves out of religious fervor. All hail the cloud emperor in his wondrous nudity!
5. In a moment of clarity, the man wonders what it all means. And then he poops.
6. I'm already spinning in corkscrew motions and rubbing my concave tummy and now you ask for the caviar of dragons?! Give me a week, ya rascal ;).
7. Turn on the telly I'm getting bored of this program and I can't find the mute button.
8. Are you bored? Afraid? In love? Insert other emotion here? Are you sick of these pesky emotions? Try life. Life! For those sick of being slaves to their own impulses. Life! It's like death, but not! Call 1-800-LIFE.

MRD Campaign Play Report Summaries (12-16)

Play Reports are never popular posts but I'm going to keep trying. In session 15 in particular I think we had a really cool encounter, the kind of thing that could make for a good module. Each collection of PRs I've put together in a post has had at least one really cool encounter so I'm pretty happy about that. I also think the preceding sessions get into the kind of social intrigue and domain play that I really enjoy.

In 15 and 16 below I include the GM notes for two scenarios that I was really happy with. They're not quite in pro-Module shape, but I think they have future Module potential if I spruced them up and removed stuff that was specific to the context around the current campaign, so if nothing else please read those!

MRD Play Report Index

PR 1: Doctor Loves-Me-Not's Halloween Party

PR 2-5: They Did a Mario Kart

PR 6-11: The Hostile Takeover of Anti-Sphinx

Anyone Can Wear the Mask with Jeff Stormer (MRD-adjacent)

MRD Module / GM Notes

The Court of Those Who Succumb Prematurely to Crippling Expectations (A significantly rewritten and expanded version of this will be the module in the book)

Doctor Loves-Me-Not's Halloween Party (GM Notes)

Off to the (Karmamare) Racetracks

The PCs

We have the same three players that we've had throughout the vast majority of the campaign at this point:

Alco (SlimyKeyboard): A student in a trade school for plumbing. While working the pipes for the Poltergeist Investigators (the original team), she inadvertently activated her Poltergeist Form, Ghost in the Mirror, and has since joined the team.

Jack (Eight): A "wetworker", a Recurser with the Poltergeist Form, On a Full Moon an Ichor Heart. Works for the Nature Spirit drug dealer Chester, and has joined this team of Poltergeist Investigators on Chester's behalf.

Adore "Dori" Greyfeldt (Fiona Maeve Geist): An enforcer, also working with the team on Chester's behalf. She fled Denver after being sold out by her partner in crime and has been hiding out in New York City. Her Poltergeist Form is Crashing Rocket Nixie.

PR 12: Corporate Restructuring and the Short-Sell

The Team has their first meeting with the higher-ups of Anti-Sphinx, the criminal organization they just couped. The organization can be roughly broken up into The Underground Casino, Security, PsyOps, "Personnel" (Mafia), and QlippothNet / MLOps. They learn that the organization is now critically understaffed, losing its street reputation, struggling to maintain QlippothNet and the Hell-Money cryptocurrency the valuation of which is wildly fluctuating, bleeding funds, and has at least one leak but has possibly been infiltrated by both the Deseret Avengers and The Doppler Potential.

There is an entire spreadsheet set up for all of the major NPCs in Anti-Sphinx, their relationships to each other and the PCs, the status of the different departments, the various threats and leads for the organization, etc.; it's sort of a whole thing that doesn't translate well to PR but would probably work well in a wiki...

They assign Soft Mother to Personnel as part of a "false flag" operation to try to root out the leaks. 

Through diplomatic conflict they work out a deal with Beatriz Suzano, the head of the Suzano crime family, to bolster their staffing and reputation.

They also have a heart-to-heart with Barsabbas the Arch-Devil of The Court of Those Who Bet on the Wrong Horse. After making peace with him, he admits that he was short-selling QlippothNet Hell-Money, betting on their failure and making it a self-fulfilling prophecy, but he agreed to orchestrate a short-squeeze on himself to neutralize the problem before it escalated.

PR 13: The Trial of the Pipes

This was a very goofy session (and also a backdoor way for me to basically run The Module under a totally different context). Alco the plumber-in-training must take The Trial of the Pipes in order to get her plumbing license. This involved dissembling an anthropomorphic set of sewer pipes, defeating the rogue poltergeist Train Golem which Jack drags into Dori's Positron Pack, and eventually traversing The Court of Those Who Succumb Prematurely to Crippling Expectations, an NYC Metro-themed Court, in order to find The Metro Thing.

Meanwhile, Dori receives a call from Emil McGinley, the Recurser Glass Maiden Pixie, who betrayed her in Denver during a heist, sending her on the run to New York in the first place.

Much of this and the next section are just them exploring The Court of Those Who Succumb Prematurely to Crippling Expectations (the revamped version that will be in the book, not the version linked above). I don't include all of the particulars here, but they saw a decent chunk of it.

PR 14: Excuse-Me-Sir!

The Team continues their investigation of the Metro Thing, an urban elemental nature spirit like a sewer crocodile, who was once a tame pet of The Buddha, but after centuries of neglect from The Monkey King, has become monstrous. They develop a budding relationship with the Metro Thing after taking a bit of a beating and Alco passes the test.

Along the way, they're assaulted by a Poltergeist that hacks their Karma with "Excuse-Me-Sir!" malware, like a door-to-door salesman, who invades their minds and implants in both Dori and Jack each a Karmic Attachment of someone else, which they will later have to somehow find and resolve.

Within The Court, they find Rat Jack, of The Council of Jacks and The Polterzeitgeist, and also a drug dealer of Dharmafinil, and work out a deal with them to increase their revenue stream and intel.

Rat Jack shows them a secret backdoor entrance into Pyrite Tower, where Emil McGinley is staying, owned by a notorious NY Real Estate Warlord and frequented by a Russian businessman referred to as The Oligarch.

Emil has taken over the gang in Denver that they were robbing. It turns out the gang is actually a cult known as the Niguma Gang, which had once been a genuine Tibetan Buddhist sect but which had been coerced by a charismatic white supremacist (who is conspicuously not a Deseret Avenger, but part of something else...) before Emil took over from him.

Emil believes that reality is a simulation, and asks Dori's forgiveness and for her help to "break the world", but she refuses and attempts to kill him, and conflict ensues, including the Orange Goblin private security forces. After much destruction in the lobby of Pyrite Tower, we find ourselves at a standoff...

PR 15: Goblins!

The building is surrounded by SWAT and emergency services, as Pyrite Tower itself begins to implode/topple in on itself. The Team came here on a mission to rob the NY Real Estate Warlord, and so they ascend the building even as it collapses beneath them. They encounter various a series of experimental, grotesque, cybernetic / bio-engineered Orange Goblins and other things. The goblin variants were inspired by my old Goblins post, but in most cases, I combined entries or changed the context since they're a paramilitary group and not actual fantasy goblins.

Here are the tables I used for generating the point crawl (?). Basically, there are six "floors" (obviously more, but six that we play out), so I rolled randomly for a layout, a bad thing, and a good thing, skipping duplicates:

Layout of this floor:

1. Open floor plan with a mini kitchen / hangout area in the center, and four corner offices.

2. Narrow corridors of various sized rooms like labs, filming rooms, supply closets, etc.

3. Semi-translucent glass windowed conference rooms.

4. Cubicle farm. The walls of the cubicles obscure the fact that the cubicles are not neat rows, but more of a maze-like configuration.

5. This floor was under reconstruction before the explosion; full of holes in the floor and wall, dangerous equipment lying around, exposed wires.

6. Commercial floor of restaurants, shops, a cafeteria, seating areas, viewing areas, game room, bar/cafe, etc.

Bad Stuff

1. Moon Marine is rescuing people. Will offer to help the Team out, will be suspicious if they turn her down, or if she sees them doing Recurser stuff.

2. An experimental cyborg created by the Orange Goblin company, part of Project Blackcap: Binata sa Punso (think robocop).

3. The Team sees an exit off to the distance, but as they move towards it, it gets further away, leading them towards a group of Orange Goblins while another group flanks them. The floor is unstable but the Mirage Goblins are ok with dying to complete the job.

4. A chattering noise floods the floor, causing panic, disabling WIS abilities / Saves, and dealing Wd4. The Panic Goblins are little machines hiding in the walls.

5. A monstrous cyborg arm punctures the window, swiping at the Team and grabs one PC randomly. The Genocide Goblin (think... I dunno, Attack on Titan?) climbing up the side of the building spans the length of ~2.5 floors.

6. The entire floor is being converted into a Ru Goblin, a fleshy mash reconfiguring itself into the structure. The assembly of the Ru Goblin is the only thing keeping the floor sustained, but it is actively undermining the Team.

Good stuff:

1. Norman Rockatansky will at first feign impotence but will pull some superspy moves if desperate.

2. One of Nazli Kaplan’s other hustles is a pharmaceutical internship. She is on this floor and needs help escaping. She is also an amateur boxer.

3. Through IoT and Comms, Black Sheep Shepherd reaches out to the party to help.

4. KAO: An intern will offer you a Tote Bag of Holding if you help them escape. The intern secretly has a gun in the Tote Bag, which they may use if put under pressure, but they have no gun training and are likely to hit a PC, themselves, or something important by accident (WIS 5 for the gun Save).

5. KAO: A small child on “visit your parent’s work day” offers the Team his Magic Macro-Man Action Figure to save him. His parents are somewhere on the next floor. Being a child, they will require careful supervision.

6. KAO: The famous TV chef, “Momma Tastemaker”, will offer you a DS Nightcrawler if you rescue her and help her find her lucky spatula. Momma Tastemaker is competent and resourceful, but definitely out of her element. Also, she is livestreaming the events (WIS Save for Team to notice). The team will have to do PRO Conflict (5 HP) or in some other way convince her not to livestream, or barring that, they will take Pd6 if they refuse to help her because she’s livestreaming, or fail to rescue her and/or the spatula while live.

In addition to these things, they encounter Emil and some regular Orange Goblins halfway up in a sort of mini-boss battle that I apparently didn't write down but it's basically the abilities from the linked Glass Maiden Pixie Poltergeist Form.

As part of this crawl, they wind up on Momma Tastemaker's live stream, with Jack putting on a makeshift mask and Dori giving a fake name, inadvertently being labeled as vigilante superheroes, and they begrudgingly work with Moon Marine to rescue civilians (as they aim for the top to steal the NY Real Estate Warlord's Treasure).

PR 16: Treasure Trove of Cave Monster Hoarding Pyrite

At the top, they reach the NY Rear Estate Warlord's multi-level penthouse. He has been consumed by his Karma, transforming into the Ashura Cave Monster Hoarding Pyrite. CMHP is basically invulnerable so long as he has his treasure. The scenario is below:

• The NY Real Estate Warlord has become an Ashura: Cave Monster Hoarding Pyrite*.

• Destroying or displacing the “treasure” littering the penthouse will deal Pd6.

• If its venom breath gets on its treasure or on itself, also deals Pd6.

• The Cave Monster is lazy, stupid, and easily distractable.

• If the Team evades the Cave Monster, some Toadies** might timidly attack them.

• The penthouse is two floors connected via a spiral staircase, and various lowered and elevated sections of the penthouse give it the feel of separate mini-rooms.

• Bedroom with a 60s-style rotating love bed and a conspicuous pole.

• Surrounded by a water curtain of an acrid yellow liquid (Nd4).

• On the bed is a briefcase filled with a large quantity of single dollar bills.

• Piano Bar with robot server and robot pianist.

• Spicy (bartender; chameleon with camouflage) and Punchinello (pianist; stout giggly horned toad with big fists).

• The bar contains several extremely valuable bottles of liquor, but is mostly overpriced junk booze.

• Gallery

• The curator is The Worcestershire with a pencil-drawn pencil moustache.

• Full of “priceless” art (all fake).

• Office

• Hanging just behind the desk is an “authentic” Samurai Bustah Sword with the Ninpo Stones Poison, Magic Counter.

• An expensive, massive, Susie Suburb “Dreamhouse” comes to life as a robot contraption to eat The Team if they try to steal the sword.

• Trophy Cabinet

• Ancient goddess figurine originally stolen by the Dutch East India Company.

• The Team can steal it to damage the Cave Monster, but if the Team destroys the figurine or it gets destroyed by Toadies or the Cave Monster inadvertently, they take Pd6 (I decided to make this a Karmic Attachment instead).

• Living room

• Framed, signed photo with an A-List celebrity who was recently “cancelled” for having done something absolutely heinous.

• Norman Rockatansky is already attempting to steal it.

• Old-Timey looking but actually state of the art vault containing the Fool’s Gold.

The reward is Fool’s Gold; it’s valueless except to the extent that people believe it to be valuable.

*

20 HP

Immune to normal Damage

Poison Dart Frog Salamander Dragon

Exotic Colors

Touching it causes psychological torture Wd8

Venom breath AoE Pd6 (marks you with a pheromone which makes you instinctively socially / politically / etc. toxic)

**

Like mini versions of CMHP except squat and blobby.

3 HP Each

Wd6 to touch

Wd4 Venom spit (short-range, one target)

Will mostly troll and harass the Team, avoid direct conflict or run away.

They manage to steal or destroy most or all of the treasure, defeat CMHP, and get the pyrite from the vault, at which point they all had resolved enough Karmic Attachments and lowered their Karma to 1, so they all escaped safely via their Reincarnation Rituals, gaining new abilities. Also, they took Spicy with them, so he's part of their crew now.

There's been one more session since I drafted this post, but that is the beginning of the next "arc" so to speak, so I'll save it for next time (also this post is already long...)