This week, a number of folks - including our illustrious host, Russ Morrissey, have celebrated the nearly-year of Picks of the Weeks I've done here on EN World. I am humbly honored by the attention, and I hope you've enjoyed them as much as I've enjoyed bringing them to you. I'd like to take this moment to welcome Christopher Helton as a fellow columnist here on the ever-growing global gaming site that we all hold dear. Knock `em dead, Chris!
Riders: A Game About Cheating Doomsday
Caias Ward‘s been doing this a while, and he’s brought out a new, intriguing game that steps pretty far outside the usual boxes. The product text of Riders really sells it well –
So let me get this straight:
We’re mortal servants of the Four Horsemen, who want us to ride around and witness the End of Days. But we don’t want the world to end, so we are cheating Doomsday?
Some sympathetic angels gave us an ancient Babylonian rite which lets us know what events will trigger The End, so we can go and fix the problems and avert Kingdom Come?
And both Heaven and Hell want us dead dead dead because they think we actually want to pull the trigger and they aren’t sure who will win yet?
But we get to save the world?
Command powers of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death?
Ride Awesome Motorcycles?
Ah Hell… Let’s Ride!
DUST Adventures Corebook
The visuals of DUST alone have long inspired me for my own Unending War setting (a mashup of Golden Age supers and Dieselpunk). I didn’t have the wherewithal to get into the miniatures game, but I am pretty excited about this being available as a way to delve further into this particular universe.
DUST Adventures RPG is a rules-light exciting roleplaying game set in Paolo Parente’s DUST Universe and inspired by the epic tales arising from the DUST Tactics miniatures game.
From the mind of Paolo Parente comes the world of Dust. Another Earth. A different 1947. The Second World War has raged for nearly a decade and its grip has spread to every continent on the planet. War has advanced swiftly and strangely in the Dust universe through the application of Alien VK technology, a limitless source of energy in its simplest form, and an unthinkable weapon in the wrong hands. Tanks have evolved into powerful combat walkers and rocket troops take to the skies. The latest laser cannons, phasers, and Tesla weapons rule the battlefield.
The core book features:
– Lots of never-before-seen information on the DUST universe – 216 pages of adventure!
– Full roleplaying rules using the DUST dice (or just six-sided dice) including simple character generation for classic archetypes such as soldiers, adventurers and scientists
– Guidance on how to run exciting roleplaying adventures in the DUST universe
– Details of new and existing organisations that the players can be working for or facing in the field
– How to use vehicles and walkers in your games
– Tons of plot seeds and much more
– Introductory Adventure, the prequel to Operation Apocalypse!
Use any of your DUST miniatures in the roleplaying game.
Sabre River
Over the last couple of days, folks have been celebrating just how many Picks of the Week I’ve posted over on ENWorld, for which I am grateful. Felt like today would be a good day to pick a classic D&D product, and Sabre River is one of the latest and greatest to get posted up on the digital shelves, featuring the writing and design skills of two of TSR’s best ever – Bruce Nesmith and Douglas Niles.
You are a guest of the count, one of your allies and the strongest man in the region. Your sojourn has been pleasant, a nice change after weeks of battle. Suddenly the courtyard below your window is filled with the noise of galloping horses. More guests?
You yawn as you look out. But these people arriving look more like tax collectors than guests. You decide to give your attention to something more interesting, like dinner.
Relax while you can, friend, because these new arrivals are about to lead you to a crimson sailor, a cozy Tower of Terror, and a river with an aching heart.
Sabre River includes a complete campaign setting, new NPCs, dungeon and wilderness encounters, and a mysterious story.
[Product History excerpts]
Exploring the Known World. “Sabre River” depicts (as you’d expect) the Sabre River, a long river in the lands of Norwold from CM1: “Test of the Warlords” (1984). Unfortunately the setup for the adventure also reveals its biggest problem: the River is assumed to be in the domain of a player, acting as a new domain-level problem for them … so the designers couldn’t explicitly define where the river fit in the lands of Norwold! Most fans have identified it as one of the two major rivers running south of the Alpha Peninsula, from the Wyrmsteeth Range to the Great Bay.
“Sabre River” also reveals additional historical information on Norwold. The adventure’s core problem is ultimately the result of a Alphatian invasion of Norwold that occurred sometime in the past.
NPCs of Note. The Crones of Crystykk, who debuted in CM1: “Test of the Warlords”, make a return visit here. They’re once more mysterious and cryptic.
Monsters of Note. “Sabre River” introduces one new monster, the Sabreclaw. It’s not a major D&D monster, as it’s only reappeared in various monster collections. Nonetheless, the sabreclaw is a notable addition to D&D lore because it’s a hive creatures that shares its hit points among a group — making it an early form of the swarms that became popular with the advent of D&D 3e (2000).
The Three Rocketeers
Some things sell themselves on the imagined elevator pitch alone – “It’s like The Three Muskateers meets The Rocketeer.”
No, really, that’s exactly what this is!
Journey through the Holy Roman Stellar Empire and the worlds of Britannica Solaria in this Fate World of Adventure by PK Sullivan! The Queen’s enemies may have disbanded the Rocketeers, but duty cannot be set aside so easily.
A deadly cabal of nobles and clergy threaten to usurp Her Majesty Queen Marie-Hélène’s throne and hand Gallia over to Pope Regulus IV, and the Rocketeers now work from the shadows to protect the queen from threats both foreign and domestic. Foreign spies and papal agents lurk in every shadow as the trap draws ever closer.
A laser-sharp blade and even sharper wits will serve you well as interstellar powers play the game of puppets and shadows. The fate of the crown is in your hands.
The Three Rocketeers requires Fate Core to play. This 40-page supplement includes:
Shaintar Black Lantern Report: Camden
Today, I am exceedingly proud to announce the first release written by my dear friend, Shawn Gore. It’s the latest in the now-rapidly releasing series of Shaintar setting books flowing out of Savage Mojo, and it takes a long, interesting look at a place I’ve always called “Snakes Den,” with very good reason…
The Black Lantern Society is at it again!
This time they’re reporting on the city of Camden, known to most of Shaintar as the Snakes Den. This report will give both GM’s and players a solid background for creating characters and NPC’s from these vicious streets filled with greed and politics.
You’ll learn about several groups that live and work within the streets and we’ve also provided you with several new edges and other rules stuff to get started. The intrigue can get deadly and its worth your life to gain the attention of the wrong people. The Black Lanterns hope to find information to help them gain the trust of Camden in order for it to sign the Grey Ranger’s charter. They’ve not succeeded…yet!
~~~
Tonight, we celebrate my friend, Chris Parks', 28th birthday (yes, he still be a wee laddie). Terribly yummy food, board games, video games (for those who go in for such things), and me laying about and grousing over how young everyone else is. If only I had a lawn, I might tell at them all to get off of it.
Tomorrow, I have the anomaly of an open Saturday. I suspect someone will figure out a way to occupy it for me. On Sunday, my Belovedest, Carinn, runs another session of her very popular modern fantasy/action/horror Savage Worlds setting, The Crew.
As always, I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend full of gaming and other forms of fun. Never forget -
The Adventure Continues!
~SPF
Riders: A Game About Cheating Doomsday
Caias Ward‘s been doing this a while, and he’s brought out a new, intriguing game that steps pretty far outside the usual boxes. The product text of Riders really sells it well –
So let me get this straight:
We’re mortal servants of the Four Horsemen, who want us to ride around and witness the End of Days. But we don’t want the world to end, so we are cheating Doomsday?
Some sympathetic angels gave us an ancient Babylonian rite which lets us know what events will trigger The End, so we can go and fix the problems and avert Kingdom Come?
And both Heaven and Hell want us dead dead dead because they think we actually want to pull the trigger and they aren’t sure who will win yet?
But we get to save the world?
Command powers of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death?
Ride Awesome Motorcycles?
Ah Hell… Let’s Ride!
DUST Adventures Corebook
The visuals of DUST alone have long inspired me for my own Unending War setting (a mashup of Golden Age supers and Dieselpunk). I didn’t have the wherewithal to get into the miniatures game, but I am pretty excited about this being available as a way to delve further into this particular universe.
DUST Adventures RPG is a rules-light exciting roleplaying game set in Paolo Parente’s DUST Universe and inspired by the epic tales arising from the DUST Tactics miniatures game.
From the mind of Paolo Parente comes the world of Dust. Another Earth. A different 1947. The Second World War has raged for nearly a decade and its grip has spread to every continent on the planet. War has advanced swiftly and strangely in the Dust universe through the application of Alien VK technology, a limitless source of energy in its simplest form, and an unthinkable weapon in the wrong hands. Tanks have evolved into powerful combat walkers and rocket troops take to the skies. The latest laser cannons, phasers, and Tesla weapons rule the battlefield.
The core book features:
– Lots of never-before-seen information on the DUST universe – 216 pages of adventure!
– Full roleplaying rules using the DUST dice (or just six-sided dice) including simple character generation for classic archetypes such as soldiers, adventurers and scientists
– Guidance on how to run exciting roleplaying adventures in the DUST universe
– Details of new and existing organisations that the players can be working for or facing in the field
– How to use vehicles and walkers in your games
– Tons of plot seeds and much more
– Introductory Adventure, the prequel to Operation Apocalypse!
Use any of your DUST miniatures in the roleplaying game.
Sabre River
Over the last couple of days, folks have been celebrating just how many Picks of the Week I’ve posted over on ENWorld, for which I am grateful. Felt like today would be a good day to pick a classic D&D product, and Sabre River is one of the latest and greatest to get posted up on the digital shelves, featuring the writing and design skills of two of TSR’s best ever – Bruce Nesmith and Douglas Niles.
You are a guest of the count, one of your allies and the strongest man in the region. Your sojourn has been pleasant, a nice change after weeks of battle. Suddenly the courtyard below your window is filled with the noise of galloping horses. More guests?
You yawn as you look out. But these people arriving look more like tax collectors than guests. You decide to give your attention to something more interesting, like dinner.
Relax while you can, friend, because these new arrivals are about to lead you to a crimson sailor, a cozy Tower of Terror, and a river with an aching heart.
Sabre River includes a complete campaign setting, new NPCs, dungeon and wilderness encounters, and a mysterious story.
[Product History excerpts]
Exploring the Known World. “Sabre River” depicts (as you’d expect) the Sabre River, a long river in the lands of Norwold from CM1: “Test of the Warlords” (1984). Unfortunately the setup for the adventure also reveals its biggest problem: the River is assumed to be in the domain of a player, acting as a new domain-level problem for them … so the designers couldn’t explicitly define where the river fit in the lands of Norwold! Most fans have identified it as one of the two major rivers running south of the Alpha Peninsula, from the Wyrmsteeth Range to the Great Bay.
“Sabre River” also reveals additional historical information on Norwold. The adventure’s core problem is ultimately the result of a Alphatian invasion of Norwold that occurred sometime in the past.
NPCs of Note. The Crones of Crystykk, who debuted in CM1: “Test of the Warlords”, make a return visit here. They’re once more mysterious and cryptic.
Monsters of Note. “Sabre River” introduces one new monster, the Sabreclaw. It’s not a major D&D monster, as it’s only reappeared in various monster collections. Nonetheless, the sabreclaw is a notable addition to D&D lore because it’s a hive creatures that shares its hit points among a group — making it an early form of the swarms that became popular with the advent of D&D 3e (2000).
The Three Rocketeers
Some things sell themselves on the imagined elevator pitch alone – “It’s like The Three Muskateers meets The Rocketeer.”
No, really, that’s exactly what this is!
Journey through the Holy Roman Stellar Empire and the worlds of Britannica Solaria in this Fate World of Adventure by PK Sullivan! The Queen’s enemies may have disbanded the Rocketeers, but duty cannot be set aside so easily.
A deadly cabal of nobles and clergy threaten to usurp Her Majesty Queen Marie-Hélène’s throne and hand Gallia over to Pope Regulus IV, and the Rocketeers now work from the shadows to protect the queen from threats both foreign and domestic. Foreign spies and papal agents lurk in every shadow as the trap draws ever closer.
A laser-sharp blade and even sharper wits will serve you well as interstellar powers play the game of puppets and shadows. The fate of the crown is in your hands.
The Three Rocketeers requires Fate Core to play. This 40-page supplement includes:
- Rules for no-skill Fate, where aspects provide roll bonuses without invocation
- Categorized aspect creation to help players create their characters quickly and get the most out of their invocations
- A simple system to build flashy customized swordplay stunts
- Conspiracy creation guidelines that integrate aspects and approaches to help direct the story
- Ready-made characters based on the characters of Alexandre Dumas
- A sample adventure: Battle for the Gallian Throne
- The Three Rocketeers: All for one and one for all!
Shaintar Black Lantern Report: Camden
Today, I am exceedingly proud to announce the first release written by my dear friend, Shawn Gore. It’s the latest in the now-rapidly releasing series of Shaintar setting books flowing out of Savage Mojo, and it takes a long, interesting look at a place I’ve always called “Snakes Den,” with very good reason…
The Black Lantern Society is at it again!
This time they’re reporting on the city of Camden, known to most of Shaintar as the Snakes Den. This report will give both GM’s and players a solid background for creating characters and NPC’s from these vicious streets filled with greed and politics.
You’ll learn about several groups that live and work within the streets and we’ve also provided you with several new edges and other rules stuff to get started. The intrigue can get deadly and its worth your life to gain the attention of the wrong people. The Black Lanterns hope to find information to help them gain the trust of Camden in order for it to sign the Grey Ranger’s charter. They’ve not succeeded…yet!
~~~
Tonight, we celebrate my friend, Chris Parks', 28th birthday (yes, he still be a wee laddie). Terribly yummy food, board games, video games (for those who go in for such things), and me laying about and grousing over how young everyone else is. If only I had a lawn, I might tell at them all to get off of it.
Tomorrow, I have the anomaly of an open Saturday. I suspect someone will figure out a way to occupy it for me. On Sunday, my Belovedest, Carinn, runs another session of her very popular modern fantasy/action/horror Savage Worlds setting, The Crew.
As always, I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend full of gaming and other forms of fun. Never forget -
The Adventure Continues!
~SPF
