[1E/2E Gamma World] Rite of Passage Solo Campaign Notes

[Turgenev]

I've pulled my 2nd edition GW box set off the shelves and been working on a solo game in the Rite of Passage adventure/campaign so I thought I would share (not sure if there is any interest in Gamma World here). I plan on posting the various stuff I've created. The PC party I've created are (in no particular order):

• Salvyn -- Humanoid male who considers mutant plants to be his brothers and sisters of sorts (he has bark-like skin texture, photosynthetic skin, and plant control amongst his mutations).
• Feyna Ennz -- Pure Strain Human female who has some knowledge of human physiology and is literate in Trade Speak and Ancient Speak (French). These skills were taught to her by a time traveller she befriended as an adolescent.
• Gund Twotusk -- Mutant Animal (Walrus) male who is a good cook, fisherman, and a strong swimmer. He secretly worships radiation and wants to join the Radioactivists.
• Hern -- Humanoid male who was taught the physical sciences by a neighbour that his village thought was insane. He is hoping to acquire some artifact so he can impress the father of the girl he loves. Her father doesn't thinjk too highly of Hern.
• Malla Kyn -- Humanoid female who is the party's wheeler and dealer always on the lookout to make a quick buck. She has heightened Strength and is covered with mane & bristles.

I will post their write-ups once I finish writing their individual backgrounds. I'm using Central Casting's Heroes of Tomorrow to help flesh out the characters' backgrounds. I plan on posting my campaign notes and NPC/monster write-ups as well but first, here are the house rules I'm using:

• Rank Bonuses: I'm using GW 1E Experience Bonus Matrix when a new rank is achieved.
• Determining Attribute Scores: Roll 4d6, drop the lowest die, for each attribute. Re-roll any 1s. This can only be done once per die. The second roll is the final result.
• Attribute Checks: I've taken a page from BRP (5th edition CoC to be exact) and created attribute checks as follows: Attribute times 5 for the percentile base roll. MS = Luck Roll, IN = Idea Roll, DX = Agility Roll, CH = Charisma Roll, CN = Stamina Roll, and PS = Effort Roll. I also plan on using the BRP Resistance Table for contested rolls (ie., ST vs ST).
• Languages: Languages are known as 'Speak.' The exception to this rule, is Type based languages. They are known as 'Lingo.' For example, a typical humanoid would know Cambol Speak, Trade Speak, and Humanoid Lingo.
• Experience Points: Status Points are known simply as Experience Points. With each new rank gained, the player rolls on the Experience Bonus Matrix (see above). I'm not using the erase your XPs when gaining a new rank and start over again from zero xp rule (from 2E).
  NEW: An NPC's finale XP value is equal to HPs x Rank Level (Rank 0 is considered to be Rank 1 for this purpose). Thus a Rank 2 NPC with 45 HPs would be worth 90 XP.
  NEW: I'm going to award individual XP for figuring out artifacts. The XP value of figuring out an artifact is equal to the artifact's Complexity Starting Number. So a character that figures out a laser pistol (Complexity D) would earn 10 XP.
• Combat: Initiative is determined by Dexterity. Tied Dexterity is resolved by rolling d6, highest roll goes first.
• Healing: For each day of rest, a character heals 1d3 hit points.
• Skills: I'm using the "Knowledge is Power!" Gamma World article by John M. Maxstadt, from Dragon #110 (June 1986). I'm toying on creating custom BRP skills for non-combat skills but it is still in the idea stage (so far).
• Starting XP: Each character starts with 2d20 XP Points (for the stuff they did in their backgrounds).

Attribute Modifiers:

• Intelligence: For every point above 15, the character gains a +1 bonus to figure out artifacts. Subtract 1 for each point under 6. Maximum alteration is plus or minus 5.
• Dexterity: For every point above 15, the character gains a +1 bonus to hit in physical combat, a +1 bonus to AC, and a +1 bonus to initiative. Subtract 1 for each point under 6. Maximum alteration is plus or minus 5.
• Physical Strength: For every point above 15, the character gains a +1 bonus to damage in physical combat (with melee or thrown weapons only, it does not apply to projectiles or energy weapons). For every point below 6, subtract one point from total damage done in physical combat. Maximum alteration is plus or minus 5.

Homebrew Mutant Manual

• Badder Wildlings: Nature worshipping Badder cult/clan.
• Chirpers (Black Beauties): Mutant cricket species that are often used as steeds.
• Corvoids (Tricksters): Mutant crow species.
• Leels (Squeezers): Mutant land eel species.
• Timeflies (Buzzers): Mutant fly species.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

I decided I needed a Gamma World-esque calendar so I came up with this. Click on the image for the PDF.



Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

Here's a villainous NPC I created. Please note that this has my various House Rules built into the write-up. Click on the image for the PDF.



Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

So the Adventure Booklet has this to say about the village of Zilver.

ZILVER: This Tech Level II village of 1d10+8 score residents clusters around a small castle where the leader of the village (called the "Protector") lives. The Protector keeps 1d8+20 soldiers among his household who will be on guard in the village and castle and who will take all strangers before the Protector for an audience. The Protector charges a fee of 100 gold pieces or one artifact per party (his choice) to pass through his village. He claims that this amount pays for the upkeep of the road through the village. However, he will charge a party nothing if it contains at least one member of Clan Cambol since he has a treaty with the clan. The Protector is actually a Supervisory Borg and his personal guard consists of 1d4+6 Security Robots under his direct control.

I liked the medieval theme for the village but decided to switch out the robots for androids and went with a Robin Hood theme instead. I'm taking my Robin Hood inspiration from the 1939 Adventures of Robin Hood, the Robin of Sherwood TV series, and even bits from Disney's Robin Hood animated film. Here's what I came up with instead...

ZILVER
Population: 3,400
Tech Level: II
Alignment: Followers of the Voice

Behind its walls of stone, Zilver consists of many timber houses clustering around a small stone castle on a low hill. This is the home of the High Sheriff and he sees to the safety of his village. The whole place has a brightly coloured Robin Hood medieval theme to it. That's because in the Shadow Years, this village had a popular android Robin Hood entertainment park with an 'authentic' Hollywood cast (the androids' appearances are copies of the cast from the 1939 Adventures of Robin Hood film). The androids have been playing their roles for so long that they now believe that they are the real characters from the Robin Hood legends. The High Sheriff and his allies (Sir Guy of Gisbourne and Hugo the Abbott) play out their roles while terrorizing the inhabitants that live there since the Social Wars. The village consists of 80% pure strain human and 20% humanoid. Humanoids are second class citizens and mutant animals are consider to be nothing but mindless animals.

The village is protected by the High Sheriff, who is advised by Guy of Gisbourne, and he has twenty-four android men-at-arms. The High Sheriff always selects a local pure strain human maiden to play the role of Maid Marion (until she expires from age, foul play, or terror). The High Sheriff, Sir Guy, and his men-at-arms are always trying to capture Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Robin Hood is also an android who has remained sane over the countless years and still fights for the cause of justice and liberty. His Merry Men have been recruited from the locals over the years. In essence, both the High Sheriff and Robin Hood "recast" their supporting roles when needed.

The Church of the Lionheart:
The official religion in the village of Zilver is known as the Church of the Lionheart. Their symbol is a lion's face surrounded by a lion's mane shaped like sun rays. The citizens of Zilver worship Lord Lionheart who they believe is their village's personal creator and he was betrayed by his evil brother, Ryncejon, who now holds him prisoner in the Spectral Lands of the Dead. To free him, the Church of the Lionheart has been tasked with a duty to raise the sacred ransom needed for his release. It is said on that fateful day, King Lionheart will return, restore Zilver to her rightful glory, and cast Ryncejon into the pits of Hell. The actual dollar amount that the sacred ransom isn't generally known, as that number is considered sacred and for priestly eyes only (and even then, only to the upper echelon of priests).

Robin Hood and his Merry Men:

• Robin Hood: Android
• Wyll Scarlok: Humanoid w/hot hands of power; he hates the Sheriff for killing his wife
• Fryr Tukk: Humanoid – fat, mental shield, mental blast; former priest of the Lionheart Church
• Litto Gon: Humanoid w/ Taller mutation; escaped a lifetime of slavery
• Alen-a-Dayl: Mutant Animal (rooster); troubadour
• Mulch: Pure Strain Human; he is a peasant that idolizes Robin

When the PC party travelled through Zilver, they saw the (android) men-at-arms harassing/harming the villagers and they saw wanted posters offering a bounty for the wolfshead, Robin Hood. They knew they couldn't interfere with the men-at-arms treatment due to their clan's treaty with the High Sheriff. They wanted to help those poor villagers but they knew they would have to do so after their rite of passage.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

Just had a crazy idea... with a little bit of tweaking you could run D&D's module, B4 The Lost City, as a Gamma World module. The pyramid above ground becomes an ancient bunker [with additional levels underground, plus the 'survival shelters' (underground city)] and Zargon being a mutated horror. The different Cynidicean factions become pure strain humans who have gone 'mad/weird' over the passing centuries.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

Here's the write-up for one of the Player Characters, Feyna Ennz. Click on image for PDF link. The character 'sheet' does contain some of my house rules. She was generated randomly. I rolled her skills first and then fit them in with the background ideas I generated with the Central Casting's Heroes of Tomorrow book.



Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

Here's the write-up for one of the Player Characters, Hern. Click on image for PDF link. The character 'sheet' does contain some of my house rules. He was also generated randomly (as were all of the player characters and many of the NPCs as well). One of Hern's goals (other than the primary goal of the Rite of Passage) is to find an artifact that will raise his status in the mind of his girlfriend's father (a daunting and highly unlikely task).



Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

One house rule I've been thinking over is how the Experience Bonus Matrix works in game. Normally, one would roll on the table to see what type of XP bonus you get when you gain a rank. I'm thinking of taking a page from Villains & Vigilantes 2E RPG. In it, characters get a Training 'stat' which grants them a single bonus when they go up a level. The Training bonus you select can vary from level to level. For example, at 1st level you might take +1 Strength as your Training bonus. Then at 2nd level, you can keep the same Training selection or choose a new one.

For example, a Rank 4 character may have the following Training bonuses:
1st Level: +1 to Mental Strength
2nd Level: +1 to Strength
3rd Level: +1 to Hit with Physical Combat (non-energy weapons only)
4th Level: +1 to damage with Physical Combat (non-energy weapons only)

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

Here's another Humanoid Player Character, Salvyn. He's the party's 'plant guy.' Click on image for PDF link.



I've been using the old Central Casting book, Heroes of Tomorrow to help fill out the PCs backgrounds. I don't use the book as RAW (I rarely do with anything I run). I roll on select tables to determine a characters' social standing, place of birth, family, and events that happen as the character 'grows up.'

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Turgenev]

So I got thinking about the money system in Gamma World and I decided to expand it a bit. I will still have the standard gold pieces (which I'm tempted to call Shards) and Domars (5 gp = 1 domar). I've decided to include various Shadow Years manufactured metal bolts and screws as a form of currency as well. They will be Gamma World's equivalent of gems/precious stones.

Type of Screws/Bolts	Value
Set Screws	100 gp
Thread Cutting Machine Screws	75 gp
Hex Bolts	50 gp
Lag Bolts	25 gp
Socket Screws	20 gp
WS/MS/SMS/Screws	15 gp
Carriage Bolts	10 gp
Eye Bolts	5 gp
Eye Lags	2 gp

Cheers,
Tim