[Mini-Game] Dark*Matter: Shades of Grey

[buzz]

It would be fun to go the opposite route, too --- Urban Arcana played as Dark Matter. Government agents investigating unexplained phenomena are shocked when they start to realize the "aliens" are really faerie folk, the "mole people" are dwarves straight out of LotR, and the Loch Ness Monster is a wyrm.

Now THAT is a capital idea.

 

[JPL]

Now THAT is a capital idea.

It's a slow day at work. Lots of brainpower left over.

A thousand years before Roswell, the faeries were abducting humans, mating with our women, drugging us, and bending space and time. They were totally alien in their mentality --- frolicking one minute, slaughtering the next --- and they commanded strange powers.

In a way, they're scarier than the Greys. We can at least usually figure out what the Greys want [even if it's to enslave humanity to work in their sugar mines or whatever]. The fae are totally unpredictable, extremely powerful, and not really all that cute once you get to know them, and whether they are really "magical nature spirits" or some sort of extradimensional entity chipping away at our reality is beside the point.

 

[Munin]

I think the article was a nice primer for a future product. Just enough to whet the appetite. I'd hate to run a game just on the info provided.
A few scant details and a couple of advanced classes does not a mini-game make.
If you want to run D*M, take the advice of the article: Go get the original campaign book. It is an aboslute must have for an D*M themed game. For me, I'm using a modified version of the CoC magic and sanity system, and so far it seems to be working out.
Overall though, I think Dungeon/Poly issue 108 was the best in some time.

 

[Ranger REG]

It was mostly the Xenoforms chapter that I felt "deviated." Also, you just don't get as much of the conspiracy paranoia aspect of it in so few pages. IMHO, of course.

Still, I liked it. The Action Point-based magic used by the PrCs in the game was a brilliant idea. I'd like to see that used again.

AFAIC, the Xenoform chapter is in the DM's section. IOW, it's up to the GM to decide which monsters from the Urban Arcana book to use. If you (the GM) want to include the D*M in your existing Urban Arcana, by all means go ahead.

Personally, I don't like a product that tell me what I can or can't do, only they can recommend me what is appropriate and/or inappopriate.

AFAIC, we pretty much got the barebone rules for D*M. I'm hoping that there will be additional follow-up articles in next month's Dungeon/Poly. It's the only way I (a once-devoted Poly reader) would be willing to buy the next issue.

Anyhoo, while some have criticized that the material is not enough, so why don't we brainstorm and contribute here? Story ideas? Campaign Hooks? Stats (creatures, characters, equipment)?

 

[Krieg]

It's better to approach it as a slightly higher-action Call of Cthulhu, minus the insanity (for the most part).

*cough* Delta Green *cough*

 

[buzz]

*cough* Delta Green *cough*

And it'll be out any day now! Maybe.

http://www.tccorp.com/pagan/pp_previews.html

 

[Krieg]

And it'll be out any day now! Maybe.

After all of the delays I'm just glad that it is actually going to make it to print!

Delta Green & Dark Matter should complement each other nicely.

 

[buzz]

Delta Green & Dark Matter should complement each other nicely.

:drools:

Was that me? Sorry.

:grabs mop:

 

[The Black Kestrel]

I'd definitely like to see more D*M support in Poly, though if I'm motivated I might whip up some more FX based PrC's (the Incantor comes to mind) for D*M D20. Perhaps a couple of conversions from
Xenoforms as well

Also if you have acces to some of the older Dungeon Magazines there were two or three D*M adventures that might help a prospective GM with ideas.

 

[Katowice]

I took your advice and purchased a secondhand copy of the original D*M book (I found it used via Amazon.com). I think that combined with the mini-game, d20 CoC, and the d20 Modern rules, this has the potential to be a great campaign. I'm in the process of converting the characters (using JD Wiker's web enhancement on the Modern website) from the Fast-Play adventure to start up a quick campaign.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...786914335/all/ref=dp_bb_a/002-9855299-5344810

I think the article was a nice primer for a future product. Just enough to whet the appetite. I'd hate to run a game just on the info provided.
A few scant details and a couple of advanced classes does not a mini-game make.
If you want to run D*M, take the advice of the article: Go get the original campaign book. It is an aboslute must have for an D*M themed game. For me, I'm using a modified version of the CoC magic and sanity system, and so far it seems to be working out.
Overall though, I think Dungeon/Poly issue 108 was the best in some time.