(10/07) A Dark and Restless Tide - (A D20 Dark*Matter Story Hour)

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I know I know. I'll get on it.

I've been messing around with some things I'd like to publish, working with PageMaker. Been a few years since I've used it, so trying to get into the hang of it again.

I'll try to write something up today.

Everybody DID seem to like the plants ... ...

--fje

 

[heapswife]

What possibly gave you that impression?

J will be scarred for life because of it. I watched him skirting the ivy when he left. You're just lucky Ian doesn't have the creative verve to go buy a fake ivy link and spray paint it pink, or you'd have more than one person clawing your eyes out for the subject matter of recent adventures.

 

[fenzer]

Heap, what is London Calling and where can one find it. My assumptions is that it is a stand alone adventure.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Yes. London Calling is one of the few adventures that were published for Dark*Matter, and appeared in Dungeon magazine, I think, eons ago. Then the rights to it were aquired by www.alternity.net, who Wizards pretty much turned over Alternity to when they let it die.

Right Here you can download it as a PDF, should be at the top of that page, from Alternity.net. You'd have to stat it up for D20, but that's not too hard, seeing as Dark*Matter adventures are about 90% flavor and investigation. Instead of Ordinary/Good/Amazing successes and revealing information on each of those you'd, say, give a DC for each bit of knowledge ... 15, 20, 25 etc. There's a monster in there and a Diabolist, both of which should be easy enough to grab a similar D20 creature to fit in ... mmm ... Diabolist I'm not sure. D20's magic system takes Dark*Matter's flavor and sort of poops all over it. Honestly, the Diabolist's skills and abilities are probably tertiary to the adventure, unless your group horribly bungles something. Wizards, in Dark*Matter, are only really powerful when you don't know they're there. Summoning demons, binding demons ... sending demons out to rip your foes to small pieces. Give the guy "Produce Flame" a handful of times and that should do it. The other spells all take place "Off Camera" so to speak, so you don't really need to use them within the rules.

BAH. I wish there was a good d20 Dark*Matter out there professionally done and released. Make me a happy clam.

Actually I wish Wizards would OGC Hoffmann. ...

EDIT: And just taking a moment aside. If you haven't gotten your hands on Dark*Matter before, you should. It's probably my most prized roleplaying possession. It's a concept that can be applied to any ruleset, really, so 85% of the old book is useful to WHOEVER picks it up. The only real rules in it are some stats for monsters, some stats for magic, and ... well ... that's it. The monsters you can easily convert. The magic is a little more problematic, since (as I've said) fire-and-forget Vancian magic just doesn't do the feel of FX justice. Neither does the Psionics system. OGL Horror, D20 Call of Cthulhu, and Psychic's Handbook all seem to work okay. Of those I only have CoC and it's rules seems to work OKAY. But if you go RIGHT HERE you can download the original Dark*Matter book for 4.75 ... for the cost of a freakin' hamburger combo you too can have the greatest role playing accessory on earth.

Do it today.

That is all.

--fje

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

A question to my dear readership.

All four of you.

Anybody interested in a Feats/Skills system of FX that would, hopefully, recreate the FX system from Alternity? People have been going ga-ga over Steve Kenson's Psychic's handbook stuff and I realized that, really, the system's core would work perfectly for remaking Alternity's FX system and integrating it in a balanced way in my d20 Modern game. I'm currently statting it up, might produce a little PDF, be a while before I can playtest it myself.

--fje

 

[fenzer]

Heap,

Bless your ink stained little fingers. I think I had a copy of London Calling once upon a time. I recongized the cover art. I have it now, however. Thanks. I think that completes my Dark*Matter collection. I should have just about everything.

And let me say that Heap knows what he's talking about. The setting is a fun romp and for just under5 bucks, you'd be silly not get a copy.

Heap, as far as your feats/skills idea goes, I think it's a great idea. Everytime I try to come up with my own conversions/makeovers I get a little too frustrated and stop before I come up with a finished product. So, I look forward to what you have to offer.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Well, I have the basics of the system down. From dry runs it seems to work very nicely. I've created Diabolism SFX, and it works. From what I can see a character could cast 2-3 spells in a combat session, if he takes no other damage.

I think I might shop this around to some publishers ...

--fje

 

[ragboy]

Heap:

You and jonrog1 have me stoked to run a D*M adventure. Thanks for a great story hour!

 

[Puppy Kicker]

Heap, I for one would be very interested in seeing this Diabolism spell system. I like my magic more painful. The magic system in my modern game is still in the works, but I know for certain it is not "I memorize Magic Missile 5 times."

Have you checked out the Medallions magic system that Old Drew Id was working on? Seems to fit in with the more gritty magic type you're looking at.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Well, I've got a little PDF whipped up for Diabolism SFX.

That's what I've been working on for the last while. That and driving across the country from Cali to Alabama ... and getting my wife's laptop replaced ... and getting into legal arguments with hotels in New Orleans. Joy.

Well, honestly, I've also spent several hours over the last few days playing The Suffering. Just the right mix of action and horror, for the most part. I'm the kinda guy as enjoys blowing the evil undead to tiny bloody chunks.

I haven't seen sound work this good in a game since System Shock 2, really. Not quite as good and creepy as SS2, but you can really only ask so much.

Heh. I just found I could attach the file as a ZIP. I don't think a million people are going to read this and download it, so it shouldn't be a problem. If it is, I figure a mod will let me know.

Anybody that does download it, do me a favor and post some feedback. You can probably send it as a private message if you'd like. Note this is still a rough draft and everything.

--fje