Hey Wulf! Is Slavelords of Cydonia out yet?

[Hoog]

You can count on me and my group for at least two copies, we run grim tales every Sunday night, and we are looking forward to the new book.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Gimme!!

I think I might like to see the actual book first.

If you have time to come out to North Providence tonite, we'll chat. Drop me an email.

Actually, on a semi-related note, one thing I would like to see for Grim Tales in general are some sample NPC's from various eras of play. I'm trying to introduce GT to my current gaming group and they aren't really familiar with the generic class system. Some sample characters would really help them see what can be done with the system. Having some sample NPC's is always helpful for a DM too.

Hmm... at the moment the only characters I have available are my League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and while the characters themselves may well be public domain I don't want to just file the serial numbers off of what is clearly the superb creative genius of Alan Moore.

Wulf

 

[Bill Scott]

....A plug for myself and the book, for those of you interested in seeing a few samples of the artwork in Slavelords of Cydonia.. take a look HERE on the BAG forum.

I was definitely planning on buying the book in Jan or Feb but with this fantastic artwork, great job there, I'm buying it as soon as it comes out.

BTW, am I right in assuming that this is a fantasy campaign book? If this is so, can we see Modern Campaign somewhere down the line? GT is a awesome book and I would like to see more support for it

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I was definitely planning on buying the book in Jan or Feb but with this fantastic artwork, great job there, I'm buying it as soon as it comes out.

Thanks!

BTW, am I right in assuming that this is a fantasy campaign book? If this is so, can we see Modern Campaign somewhere down the line? GT is a awesome book and I would like to see more support for it

Nope, you're not right. It doesn't really matter what you do what character generation-- fantasy, modern, or post apocalyptic-- the character will fit just fine into the adventure. Most of it takes place on Cydonia, after all, which defines its own blend of fantasy/sci-fi.

Short answer: If you're running a d20 Modern game, Slavelords of Cydonia may well be the first major adventure support.

Wulf

 

[exile]

Any chance we could get a little blurb about the plot behind Slavelords of Cydonia?
Chad

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Any chance we could get a little blurb about the plot behind Slavelords of Cydonia?
Chad

Here's what I sent GlassJaw when he asked that same question:

The PCs begin the adventure exploring an ancient ruin on Earth. They find
that they are preceded to the ruins by an archaeologist intent on activating
a strange gate (the Pylon Gateway). The gate opens, and the PCs soon find
themselves on Cydonia-- a mythical Mars ruled over by the Sli'ess, a race of
reptilian humanoids.

The PCs are rapidly forced to learn the ways of the Sli'ess, who are equally
interested in learning about them-- and particularly about Earth. The
Sli'ess Empire is a cruel place, ruled over by the snake-headed ra, policed
by the croc-headed bru, and manipulated by the chameleon-headed priests,
the suul. Gecko-headed scientists (lor) and tortoise-like merchants (yul) round
out the rigid caste system-- with the mixed-blooded abominations (got),
humans, and rat-man slaves sinking to the gutters.

Negotiating the tricky political landscape of the Empire will be one of the
PCs greatest challenges.

PCs being what they are, they soon gain stature in the eyes of their
captors, and they are moved from House to House as a valuable commodity.
After a stint in the Arena, the PCs are "rescued" and pressed into service
by a high-ranking agent of the Authority Slave Hunters. He's particularly
interested in activating and controlling the local Pylon system that has
lain dormant on Cydonia for millenia.

In the course of this task the PCs uncover a hidden threat-- the cthulhoid
Lethid. Lost to history, even to the Sli'ess, are the details of the First
Lethid-Sli'ess War. It was Earth, in fact, that was at one time the seat of
Sli'ess power, and Cydonia a mere outpost. At the end of the First War, the
Sli'ess retreated to Cydonia and severed the gateway to Earth, trapping the
lethid there. In time the Sli'ess forgot, content to merely rule over Mars--
but the lethid never forgot. With the gateway open, they have secretly
insinuated themselves onto Cydonia, and they are eager to finish the war.

The PCs rise to power in defense of Cydonia, moving from guerrilla like
raids to command of entire armies. They are instrumental in recovering
ancient Sli'ess weaponry, forging alliances between bickering factions
(including the outlawed magi cult, the Red Cadre), and even in reactivating
the devastating "Deimos Starhammer Array," a massive ion cannon based on
Deimos and controlled from Phobos. Before the end of the conflict, the PCs
will be honored commanders at the head of countless ranks of loyal bru
soldiers.

In the final Chapter of the adventure, the PCs must pay the devil his due--
having defended the Sli'ess Empire from the Lethid, they realize they must
now defend Earth from the Sli'ess. They have several options here: siding
with the Cydonian rebels in overthrowing the social order on Cydonia,
assassinating the Sli'ess Emperor, or destroying the Pylon Gateway--
including some options that, in truly heroic and epic fashion, don't allow
for a return home, and in some cases means the death of the PCs in pursuit
of the cause.

 

[exile]

Awesome. This sounds very cinematic. I can just see the rise to power of teh PCs on Cydonia set to suitably dramatic music (much like the rise of Paul Atreides and The Fremen of Dune in the original movie); important events, of course, would actually be role-played out. I am very excited. Did I read correctly that the scenario will work well with D&D (as opposed to Modern) characters? Truth be told, I can see it working well with either. Are there any pics of scantily clad slave girls? Kidding. Sort of.
Chad

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Awesome. This sounds very cinematic. I can just see the rise to power of teh PCs on Cydonia set to suitably dramatic music (much like the rise of Paul Atreides and The Fremen of Dune in the original movie); important events, of course, would actually be role-played out. I am very excited.

Great! The writing on this project by Matt Beall and Eric Tam is fantastic.

Did I read correctly that the scenario will work well with D&D (as opposed to Modern) characters?

Well, it will work BEST with Grim Tales. But you could drop D&D characters into it, no problem. The first Book includes hooks for archaic, modern, and post-apocalyptic characters. Your players need not know in advance what awaits them.

Are there any pics of scantily clad slave girls? Kidding. Sort of.
Chad

I knew it was missing something! Sadly, no. But if you're into reptiles or tentacled things, we got you covered!

Wulf

 

[GlassJaw]

But if you're into reptiles or tentacled things, we got you covered!

Well are they at least scantily clad?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Well are they at least scantily clad?

Hmm... Let me see...

I was diappointed that Scott didn't post his image of the slie'ss'yul, because frankly I think it's the best of the sli'ess images. These guys are the massive, plodding, super-tough tortoise-like merchant caste.

There's a yul berserker in one of the later chapters, Bragga'yun, driven mad by a lethid critter wrapped around his brain-stem, and if you were inclined to throw him at the PCs in nothing but the shell on his back, well... damn, I reckon you got yourself quite a scene!