New Crobuzon to HERO

[Curufea]

I'm tempted to buy you copies - if you don't mind the style and grotesqueries (its similar to Lovecraft), and get as inspired as I am (and the folk I played the short Amber game with) - you may write up the characters from the books.
Which you're damn good at doing (and I'm not just saying that because I'm trying to avoid too much work)

There has always been problem in getting English authors published in the USA - I remember the rigamarole that Terry Pratchett fans had to go through to get his stuff.

Amazon is still the best bet. Unless your local public library has them (but I have doubts about USA public libraries)

[Susano]

I'm tempted to buy you copies - if you don't mind the style and grotesqueries (its similar to Lovecraft), and get as inspired as I am (and the folk I played the short Amber game with) - you may write up the characters from the books.
Which you're damn good at doing (and I'm not just saying that because I'm trying to avoid too much work)

There has always been problem in getting English authors published in the USA - I remember the rigamarole that Terry Pratchett fans had to go through to get his stuff.

Amazon is still the best bet. Unless your local public library has them (but I have doubts about USA public libraries)

Crud. I was going to go the library route to save money (which I don't have lots of now). Of course, getting US authors in the US is tough too. I'd love to get a serious all-in-one collection of Fritz Leiber's Fafhard and the Grey Mouser, but....

[Curufea]

I haven't heard of it being collected together - I've got about four of those from the same publisher - so at least the covers match.
I've heard the collected Amber is hard to get, and only have the colleciton of the first series.

Amazon shows excerpts of the Crobuzon books including the various awards they've won - so there is hope local booksellers will cotton on to them.

[Curufea]

Bwahahaha - the wonders of Poser and Photoshop.

This is my idea of what a Grindylow looks like. I think the book describes them as a cross between humanoids and deep sea fish - and they swim through the air in an unnatural manner, distorting space around them (I haven't got "The Scar" book within easy reach).

<a href="http://www.curufea.com/games/crobuzon/grindylow.jpg"><img src="http://www.curufea.com/games/crobuzon/grindylow.jpg" width="200"></a>

[Curufea]

And now a Khepri-


<a href="http://www.curufea.com/games/crobuzon/khepri.jpg"><img src="http://www.curufea.com/games/crobuzon/khepri.jpg" width="200"></a>

[Curufea]

More new art, from Nicholas William Kole who I seriously want to involve in this project if I can -

Races
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/cray.jpg.html">Cray Huntsman</a>
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/craypencil.jpg.html">Cray Huntsman</a>

<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/cactacae.jpg.html">Cactacae Face</a>
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/returnofthemack.jpg.html">Cactacae</a>

<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/vodyanoi.jpg.html">Vodyanoi</a>

Characters
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/jack_halfaprayer.jpg.html">Jack Half-a-Prayer, the fReemade</a>
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/somaturgy.jpg.html">Judah Low, the Somaturge (Golemist)</a>
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/toro.jpg.html">Toro, leader of the Toroans</a>

Nick's website on Elfwood-
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n...spacekole.html

[Markdoc]

I haven't heard of it being collected together - I've got about four of those from the same publisher - so at least the covers match.
I've heard the collected Amber is hard to get, and only have the colleciton of the first series.

Both the collected Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (two big-ass fat volumes) and the collected First Chronicles of Amber have been re-released in the fantasy masterworks series. I brought the F&GM series last year and I'm on the lookout for another copy for Mike already.

cheers, Mark

Linkage here: http://www.mykreeve.net/books/fantas...asterworks.htm

[Curufea]

Kewl!

(but off topic)
;-p

On topic-ish, I forgot to mention Nick's portrait of one of the female Anophelies-
<a href="http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/n/i/nickspacekole/anoph.jpg.html">Mosquito Woman</a>

[Curufea]

More misc notes as I read through the first book again-

Newspapers
Beacon
Quarrel
Runagate Rampant (illegal)
The Shout (illegal)
Forge (illegal)

Vaudois Hill is SW of Lichford just before you enter Spatters

The largest ghetto of Garuda is in Spatters, an estimated 2000.

There are 6.7 million people in New Crobuzon

The university is in Ludmead, not Mafaton.

Notable Garuda-
Krakhleki, a famous writer
Shashjar, a member of the Diverse Tendency Party (which is mainly Xenian).

Further note on the Sufferage Lottery-
The Upper Class automatically qualify for the vote.

Xenian Reproduction
Khepri males have sex with the heads of Khepri females, who lay eggs. Baby Khepri females have the heads of grubs. No Khepri female enjoys reproduction, they practise homosexual sex for recreation, which is ritualised.

Cactacae women plant egg bulbs in the ground that are fertilised by the men.

[Curufea]

I've added Nick Kole's art to my site. I'm on leave for the next two weeks - so I should have time to actually make rules-related progress on this conversion.

[Curufea]

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><font size=2><b>Val&#160;&#160;</b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Char&#160;&#160;&#160;</b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Cost</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>30&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>STR</b></font></td><td><font size=2>20</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>13&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>DEX</b></font></td><td><font size=2>9</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>20&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>CON</b></font></td><td><font size=2>20</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>30&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>BODY</b></font></td><td><font size=2>40</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>INT</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>23&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>EGO</b></font></td><td><font size=2>26</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>18&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>PRE</b></font></td><td><font size=2>8</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>1&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>COM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>-4</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2>&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>7&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>PD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>1</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>5&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>ED</b></font></td><td><font size=2>1</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>SPD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>REC</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>40&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>END</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>55&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>STUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2>&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2"&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>RUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>-8</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2"&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>SWIM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>4"&#160;&#160;</font></td><td><font size=2><b>LEAP</b></font></td><td><font size=2>-2</font></td></tr></table><b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 111

<table border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Cost&#160;&#160;</b></td><td><b>Power</b></td><td align="right"><b>END</b></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">5&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Antennae: </i></b>IR Perception (Sight Group)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">11&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Antennae: </i></b>Mind Scan 3d6 (Sentients capable of dreaming class of minds), Cumulative (+1/2) (22 Active Points); Neither Character nor Target Can Attack Through Link (-1)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">2</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">28&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Aura of Nightmares: </i></b>Change Environment 16" radius, -1 DEX Roll and all Skill Rolls based on DEX, -1 EGO Roll and all Skill Rolls based on EGO, -1 INT Roll and all Skill Rolls based on INT, -2 PRE Roll and all Skill Rolls based on PRE, Long-Lasting 1 Day, Multiple Combat Effects, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4) (99 Active Points); No Conscious Control (The aura is excreted as a byproduct of the Slake Moth's digestive system; -2), No Range (-1/2) [<b>Notes:</b> Those living in the area that is the hunting ground of one or more Slake Moths have terrible nightmares and depression. They are affected for the entire day, although it is worse at night (when the Moths feed).]&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">10</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">5&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Chitinous Shell: </i></b>Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">45&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Claws: </i></b>HKA 2d6 (3d6+1 w/STR), Penetrating (+1/2) (45 Active Points)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">4</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">57&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Dimensionally Patterned Wings: </i></b>Mind Control 6d6 (Any sentient life capable of dreaming class of minds), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Cumulative (+1/2), NND (Defense is to look away or see only a reversed image of the wings. ; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Area Of Effect (11" Radius; +1) (142 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Set Effect ("Do not move"; -1/2), Always On (-1/2)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">5&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Insectile Legs: </i></b>Extra Limbs (2)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">19&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Moth Wings: </i></b>Flight 14" (28 Active Points); Restrainable (-1/2)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">3</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">90&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Proboscis: </i></b>Major Transform 3d6 (Sentient into mindless being, Up to GM, no current method known), Partial Transform (+1/2), Continuous (+1), NND (No orifices, or transdimensional (such as a Weaver); +1), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1) (202 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), No Range (-1/2), Limited Target (Sentients that dream; -1/4)&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">20</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">160&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Transdimensional Body: </i></b>Physical Damage Reduction, 75%, Arcane Reduction 75%, Mental Reduction 75%&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">10&#160;&#160;</td><td><b><i>Transdimensional Insect Mindset: </i></b>Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Mental Defense&#160;</td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr></table><b>Powers Cost:</b> 435


<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Cost&#160;&#160;</b></td><td><b>Skill</b></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3&#160;&#160;</td><td>Teamwork 12-&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3&#160;&#160;</td><td>Tracking 11-&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3&#160;&#160;</td><td>Tactics 11-&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3&#160;&#160;</td><td>Stealth 12-&#160;</td></tr></table><b>Skills Cost: </b>12


<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Cost&#160;&#160;</b></td><td><b>Talent</b></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">16&#160;&#160;</td><td>Berserk Fury&#160;</td></tr></table><b>Talents Cost:</b> 16


<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Val&#160;&#160;</b></td><td><b>Disadvantages</b></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">25&#160;&#160;</td><td>Psychological Limitation: Instinctive animal behaviour and intelligence - Moth (Very Common, Total)&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5&#160;&#160;</td><td>Dependence: Dreamshit - only before pupating, the minds of sentients after pupating Takes 1d6 Damage (Uncommon, 1 Day) [<b>Notes:</b> This is actually two disadvantages rolled into one. Dreamshit is extremely rare, but sentients are common.]&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15&#160;&#160;</td><td>Hunted: Militia 8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10&#160;&#160;</td><td>Hunted: Mr Motley 8- (As Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, Capture)&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5&#160;&#160;</td><td>Hunted: Isaac Van Der Grimnebulin 11- (Less Pow, Limited Geographical Area, Kill)&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5&#160;&#160;</td><td>Physical Limitation: Does not see in the visible spectrum. (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)&#160;</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20&#160;&#160;</td><td>Enraged: If other Slake Moths are attacked or killed (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 11-&#160;</td></tr></table>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 85
<br>
<b>Base Points:</b> 75
<b>Experience Required:</b> 414
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0
<b>Experience Unspent:</b> 0
<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 574
<br>
<table width="100%" valign="top"><tr valign="top"><td><b>Height:&nbsp;</b>4.00 m</td><td><b>Hair:&nbsp;</b>Brown</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td><b>Weight:&nbsp;</b>200.00 kg</td><td><b>Eyes:&nbsp;</b>No eyes, but antennae</td></tr><tr valign="top"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-weight: 700"><td colspan=2><b>Appearance:&nbsp;</b>It was taller than a bear. A clutch of sharp extrusions like dark cartilaginous whips blossomed from its sides and flickered out towards him. Other, smaller; sharper limbs flexed like claws.<br>The creature stood on legs like monkey's arms. Three pairs jutted from its trunk. It stood now bipedally, now on four legs, now on six.<br>Always those juge irregular wings, curving in strange directions, shifting in shape to fit the room, each as random and inconstant as oil on water, each a perfect reflection of the other, kept gently moving, their patterns changing, flickering in a seductive tide.<br>It had no eyes that they could recognize, only two deep sunken hollows sprouting thick, flexing antennae like stubby fingers, above rows of huge slab-teeth. As Isaac watched, it cocked its head and opened that unimaginable mouth, and from it a huge, prehensile, slavering tongue unrolled.<br>It waved quickly through the air. Its end was coated in clumps of gossamer alvaeoli that pulsed as the enormous thing flailed like an elephant's trunk.</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td colspan=2><b>Personality:&nbsp;</b>"Slake-moths don't live entirely in our plane. Their ... ah ... nutritional needs are met by substances we cannot measure."<br>...<br>"They draw the dreams ou with their wings, flood the mind, break the dykes that hold back hidden thoughts, guilty thoughts, anxieties, delights, dreams...."<br>...<br>"And then," he continued, "when the mind is nice and juicy ... they suck it dry."</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td colspan=2><b>Quote:</b>These cries were not audible. They vibrated in wavelengths other than sonar. The scientist felt the hair all over her body bristle as teh ghosts of emotions fleeted through her skill like half-heard rumours. Snippets of alien joy and inhuman terror wafted in her nostrils and ears and behind her eyes, synaesthetically.</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td colspan=2><b>Background:&nbsp;</b>Brought to New Crobozuon by Mr. Motley, and eventually the Militia as well, for experimentation and drug production. Adult Slake-moths produce Dreamshit to feed their young.</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td colspan=2><b>Powers/Tactics:&nbsp;</b>Slake Moths will hunt in packs. Separating out a single sentient being so that one of them may feed, before finding anohter. They will always attempt to bring their wings into sight to paralyze their prey before they suck the intelligence out of them. Slake Moths do recognise individuals and will hunt down those that have hurt them in the past, including those that have captured them.</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td colspan=2><b>Campaign Use:&nbsp;</b>One Slake Moth will easily terrorise the largest city. A flock of them will cause a national emergency and any government will immediately take drastic steps to kill or capture them if they are loose.<br>If a corrupt government, then capture is a priority as they produce Dreamshit to feed their young - a very powerful drug.</td></tr></table>

[Susano]

Dang it... I was going to build one of these....

My impression was they were stronger and tougher... 30 STR, 30 BODY, 75% Damage Reduction. I mean, not even the Weaver could kill one... and the stunted one took hours to die -- after they dropped a ton or more of gravel on it!

[Curufea]

I take it you've got up to them then

I wanted to do this one first, to spark interest in the books and the genre....

Anyhow, I made it not that overly powerful because it's really meant for an heroic setting. I think it'd give superheroes a tough time - but because only normal people faced it, it'd be a tremendous monster...

But you may be right. This is, after all, the first time I've tried turning a book character into Hero. So I don't have as much experience....

I do like my Aura of Nightmares though

[edit] - Okay I've changed it now...

[Susano]

Finished books 1 & 2, and await 3 to come out in softback.

Found the link between PERDIDIO STREET STATION and THE SCAR (ahh... that's where Bellis Coldwine comes from!). Found it interesting that Isaac is a portly, black man with a beard. I kept trying to picture who would play him in the movie version.

Does he ever re-appear?

I also find it interesting we still have no idea what a hochi looks like, other than covered in spines...

Slake Moths have to be some of the nastiest things ever dreamed up for a novel. Larger than a man, far stronger, and far harder to kill. I think their wings are Mental Paralysis myself. The Mind Control you used isn't powerful enough for the instant "freeze" effect the wings have. But I like the other powers -- work well to represent how the creatures operate.

Oh, and I loved the idea that there was something that preyed on Slake Moths... And that something is far to dangerous to consider messing with.

And the Weaver is really, really weird. I started reading his (it's?) lines out loud to get the right effect and understanding.

[Curufea]

There's a brief encounter with an Hotchi near the begining of the third book, Iron Council. I think it is riding a bird of some sort from memory. They are kind of an anthropomorphised hedgehog.

Most of the characters (if not all) never appear in the other books, except as mentions. Spiral Jacobs and Toro from the third book have a brief mention in Perdido as well...

Oh, and the Construct Council is mentioned in the third book as well.

Brian Blessed would be good for Isaac (IMHO), or possibly a very grizzled Robbie Coltrane...

I like how in one of his interviews, China goes on about the Monsters, and how he likes them - and it's just that publishers insist he builds a story around them before he can get them published

I like the sheer frontier-quality of the setting. Everything is unknown and dangerous....

I also like the Mayor and the Ambassador of Hell in Perdido - I'd like to know how their relationship works...

The concept of the Weaver is very cool. And I don't think I'll ever attempt the stats for them - they're really "GM plot device" because they are so alien.