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"TaleSpin" as a pulp setting


SKJAM!

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TaleSpin, of course, being the Disney TV cartoon that recast some of the Jungle Book characters for a late 1930s aviation show. I'm basically going to gloss over the "funny animals" aspect, because I think it will fit better into humans only campaigns that way. Note that I'll be using speculation and fanon as well as the show's canon.

 

First, the island itself:

Cape Suzette

 

Cape Suzette is a small but prosperous island conveniently located at the crossing of several trade routes in the South Seas. Millions of years ago, it was an enormous volcano that thrust up from under the sea and built itself up through multiple eruptions. The last of these eruptions blew out one side of the volcano, allowing the ocean in. The magma flow has since shifted, and the island is reasonably stable. It looks from the air rather like a large bowl, surrounded by cliffs on all sides save one where there is a huge crack that lets in the sea. Inside the bowl, there is a large harbor, surrounded on three sides by a small city built uphill to where the cliff walls start.

 

Cape Suzette's location and high defensiblity make it prime real estate in the South Seas. It was once a French possession, but is now an American protectorate (thus the mangled name.) There is a small US Navy base here, primarily to man the artillery defending the island from sky pirates (and their sea counterparts.)

 

Cape Suzette the city is a cosmopolitan place, whose population has more than quadrupled since the War, mostly by immigration. It's rare to find a native; most of them moved to other islands during the time the French were in control. The city has most of the amenities of a large American town, but prices are high since almost everything has to be imported. There is a small amount of organized crime (gambling, prostitution, protection rackets) and spies from many countries frequent the island's dives.

 

The crack in Cape Suzette's cliff is not quite wide enough for most ocean liners, making it more favored by smaller ships and air vehicles. The number one business in the city is shipping, dominated by Shere Khan Industries, but with plenty of room for competition.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

I loved Disney's Tale Spin. There were many times that my children and I were glued to the TV watching the show (but secretly, I was waiting for Darkwing Duck, the hero of Saint Cannard).

 

The isle of Cape Suzzette is a great setting for "pulp-style" adventures. Hell, why not just do the work and run Tale Spin, but with your own versions of "animal-styled" adventurers.

 

Nothing says that your characters have to be "human"...to be pulp.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

I always liked Tale Spin just for the stories... animation and characters aside (though Khan was a personal favorite...). So much RPG potential there; I hope it's not discounted by too many. :)

 

At any rate, it certainly deserves mention in Pulp HERO as a source of inspiration.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

I always liked Tale Spin just for the stories... animation and characters aside (though Khan was a personal favorite...). So much RPG potential there; I hope it's not discounted by too many. :)

 

At any rate, it certainly deserves mention in Pulp HERO as a source of inspiration.

Khan is a wonderfully concepted "foil" for any hero. :hail:

 

I'd love to see Tale Spin get a mention in Pulp Hero. :thumbup:

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Khan is a wonderfully concepted "foil" for any hero. :hail:

 

Seriously... the perfect 'untouchable' bad guy... and it always seems that in the end, he wins. Always. Even when the heroes had no idea he could possibly have any interest in the affair!

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Shere Khan

 

A large, powerfully built man of Indian descent, Shere Khan is the richest and most powerful man in Cape Suzette. He either owns or has a large share in every major sort of business on the island except organized crime. Cultured and urbane in his tastes and mannerisms, Khan was probably educated in Britain, as was the custom for high-caste Indians of his time period.

 

Shere Khan is well known to be amoral in his business dealings, doing what brings him profit and/or amusement. It is rumored, but has never been proven, that he has killed when it is convenient. While not clinically sadistic, Khan greatly enjoys watching people squirm when he puts them in uncomfortable positions. Surprisingly to some, he does not bear grudges. He's perfectly willing to work with someone who's been his opponent in the past when it's convenient to do so.

 

Less well known is that Shere Khan is slightly lame, the result of a "hunting accident" in his youth. He is somewhat vain about this, and prefers not to walk long distances, which would reveal this flaw.

 

Shere Khan is more of a "foil" for the heroes than a "villain." They may not like him much, but he doesn't do illegal things that can be traced back to him, and without him the island's economy would be in chaos.

 

Plot uses: Shere Khan's businesses are often the target of thieves and spies; it can be all too easy for player characters to get caught up in one of these plots as dupe or witness.

 

While Shere Khan doesn't provably do anything illegal himself, he doesn't have any scruples about giving orders that strongly imply that illegal behavior is desired. If his employees are caught in wrongdoing, well, that's their own outlook. Player characters might stumble across Khan employees engaged in dirty work.

 

If the PCs really are desperate for work, there are certain...tasks they could perform for Mr. Khan. Discretion and a habit of not asking questions is a must.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

When the majority has hands, Kaa would be at a very severe disadvantage. So no, Kaa isn't in the series.

 

It is oddly important to note that the Jungle Book was the prime source for characters in TaleSpin. Why they did it that way, I dunno, but Baloo has the belly for it. :bounce:

 

Man, I miss that series--the Communist boars were funny.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Tips on playing anthropomorphic animals can be found in the Furry HERO thread down in the "other genres" section. For those who didn't already know, Shere Khan is a tiger.

 

Baloo

 

Baloo is a tall bear of a man (or an actual bear), and was probably quite imposing in his youth. Prematurely grey hair and a heavy paunch make him look older than he is. Baloo habitually wears a red pilot's cap and sloppy yellow shirt.

 

Relatively little is known about Baloo's personal life, including whether Baloo is his first name, family name or a nickname. Nor do we know if he has any living relatives. It's quite likely that he got his first flight training during the Great War, like most pilots of his generation, but unlike many others, he never talks about that time. He's quite free with stories of his adventures as an independent freight pilot, which he's been for quite some time.

 

At some point, Baloo made Cape Suzette his home, and acquired the Sea Duck, a small amphibious cargo plane. He's had numerous upgrades made to the Duck, including at one point an experimental turbocharger for short bursts of speed. However, Baloo's indolence caused him to run out of money, and the Sea Duck was purchased by Rebecca Cunningham, who used it to create Higher for Hire, an independent shipping concern. Baloo works for Ms. Cunningham in hopes of buying back the Duck, but never quite seems to scrape together enough money.

 

Baloo is proud of his abilities as a pilot, and usually has the skills to back up that pride. However, he's also lazy and gluttonous, a combination that has made him loath to actually work for a living, and spend most of his money as soon as he gets it. He's often involved in treasure hunts, gambling (but only if it's "a sure thing") and get-rich-quick schemes.

 

While Baloo has no objection to a good bar brawl and can handle himself in a fight, he does not consider himself a man of violence and does not carry guns. (Nor has he armed the Sea Duck.) Baloo is a sucker for a pretty face, but has no interest in being tied down to a woman; he is sometimes condescending towards the "fairer sex." (Some would claim his frequent bickering with Rebecca hides a deeper relationship. He'd laugh at those people.)

 

Baloo's close friends include navigator Kit Cloudkicker, mechanic Wildcat, and bar owner Louie. He's also fond of Rebecca's daughter Molly.

 

The most obvious use of Baloo in a pulp campaign is as a colorful pilot; the Sea Duck can carry passengers, if they don't mind sharing the cargo hold with whatever bizarre freight Ms. Cunningham has managed to scrape up for the trip. As noted above, he'd be glad to help out in a treasure hunt in exchange for a share of the prize. If one of the player characters is a pilot, Baloo can be a good-natured rival.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Tips on playing anthropomorphic animals can be found in the Furry HERO thread down in the "other genres" section. For those who didn't already know, Shere Khan is a tiger.

 

Baloo

 

Baloo is a tall bear of a man (or an actual bear), and was probably quite imposing in his youth. Prematurely grey hair and a heavy paunch make him look older than he is. Baloo habitually wears a red pilot's cap and sloppy yellow shirt.

Other notes about Baloo:

 

He has definitely learned all he knows by doing. Until recently he was only marginally literate, and he never graduated high school.

 

His relationship with "Becky" is complciated to say the least. Because she owns his plane, Baloo is compelled to do as she wishes (which is party why he doesn't simply get another plane). She continually berates him on his easygoing attitude and tendency to show up for deliveries late. Yet Baloo does have a certain soft spot for his employer -- not neccesarily a romantic interest, but he is concerned for her welfare and that of her daughter.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Kahn does have some morals.

 

He did reimbuse Baloo for his cargo after one of his mines was revealed to have been abusing its workers.

 

His words. "Madame. I"m only interested in two things. Money and power. Unhealthy and scruffy looking workers offer me neither."

 

He does understand that healthy and happy workers are beneficial to him.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Here's a great website for your reference...

 

The TailSpin SourcePage

 

Here is the WebRing geared around the show...

 

The TailSpin WebRing Hub

 

Thanks, MisterBaldy.

 

And I must say, I'm truly surprised at how many people here love the cartoon. Disney must have been doing something right to have kept a love for the show going strong after all this time.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

It's called 'quirkyness.' How can you not love a big talking bear who flies? :bounce:

 

Now that we have two primaries, let's bring out the scuzzy ones! Don Karnage or Colonel Spigot would be a great adversary, mainly because they're fun to outwit.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Thanks, MisterBaldy.

 

And I must say, I'm truly surprised at how many people here love the cartoon. Disney must have been doing something right to have kept a love for the show going strong after all this time.

One of the things Disney did right on their "Disney Afternoon' syndicated block in the late '80s and early '90s was that they actually had writers.

 

There were some really good shows in that clock. DuckTales adapted the classic Carl Barks Uncle Scrooge comics to the screen, and did it superbly. (it helped that Alan Young, who appeared in several George Pal films, did a formidable job of voicing Scrooge McDuck -- now there's a pulp character for you!). Aladdin was a pretty good fantasy series too -- particularly when it used villains such as Mozenrath. Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers was a concept that should have been awful, but was anything but -- rescued by good writing, a nice little world concept (animals are intelligent, and live in a sort of parallel society with humans -- and a lot of the tension involved when those societies crossed paths....) and two wonderful supporting characters. And what can you say about Darkwing Duck that hasn't been said dozens of times before? A superhero satire that wasn't afraid to get serious when called for that had some great takes on classic superhero tropes. (Such as the time when Goslyn was accidentally propelled into a future where Darkwing had become a vicious tyrant because of her disappearance, or any of the episodes with Negaduck.)

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

It's called 'quirkyness.' How can you not love a big talking bear who flies? :bounce:

 

Now that we have two primaries, let's bring out the scuzzy ones! Don Karnage or Colonel Spigot would be a great adversary, mainly because they're fun to outwit.

 

I always thought Klang was a better nasty myself. I liked Karnage and Spigot, but let's be honest, they could've been outsmarted by Molly (Beck's daughter) and Wildcat. They probably were too, but I'm blanking on it.

 

I also thought Thembria was a howlingly funny take on Stalinist Russia, though most of my friends who saw the show are convinced the Supreme Marshal was more of a bannana republic tyrant than a furry/toony Stalin.

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Well, Klang is good for an over-arcing villan, but he'd want to manipulate things before revealing himself. Thus he'd play with the lesser powers; he could somehow feed information to Karnage on certain tatics and wait for the chaos to happen before executing his own scheme. Khan follows this kind of tatic to keep himself clean, so why not Klang, to keep himself out of sight?

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Thanks, MisterBaldy.

 

And I must say, I'm truly surprised at how many people here love the cartoon. Disney must have been doing something right to have kept a love for the show going strong after all this time.

No Problem...I am a long time fan of the show...but like I said, I was still waiting secretly for Darkwing Duck (oh...and Goof Troop ;) )

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  • 2 weeks later...

Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp setting

 

Louie

 

Louis King was born in the southern United States to a low income family. He aquired a love of music at an early age, and left home at the age of 17 to travel with a jazz band. He worked hard, and became moderately famous on the music scene, eventually getting the nickname King Louie, the King of the Swingers. His first record, Mans Red Flower did reasonably well.

 

Unfortunately, his subsequent records sold very poorly. The years on the road had taken a toll on Louie, both physically and creatively. When his contract with Jungle Records came up for renewal, they declined to do so. As a parting gift, they booked him on a (discount) vacation to the South Pacific islands.

 

While there, Louie noticed that the local refueling station was up for sale, and quickly fell in love with the place. He cleaned and repaired the old station, and even remodled to include a small stage for live music. Finally, he renamed the establishment "Louies". He might be too old to tour the road, but music could still be part of his life.

 

So, if you find yourself in the south pacific, and your plane could use some fuel, your ears could use some jazz, and your throat could use somthing tropical and cold, try stopping by Louies. You won't regret it.

 

Physical description: Louie is an older black gentleman, stands about 5'6", and what hair he has left is grey. Nevertheless, he has a surprising amount of energy for a man of his age. He could also be an Orangutang.

 

Personality and Motivation: Louie is an excellent host and tries to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy when they walk into his refuelling station. It's a habit he extends to his personal life. He'll go to any lengths necessarry to help his friends.

 

Plot Seeds:

 

*Someone has stolen Louies copy of Mans Red Flower! But who would want to steal an old record. Granted, it is a fairly rare record, but it still wouldn't be that valuable. Louie would greatly appreciate any help in getting it back. He might even be willing to settle that tab of yours . . .

 

*Some rougher pilots keep starting fights in Louies Bar, and they always seem to get away just before the authorities arrive. Louie wants you to figure out how to stop them. After all, they just might be Air Pirates!

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Re: "TaleSpin" as a pulp settingDon KarnagePlayer: Disney

Val Char Cost
12 STR 2
14 DEX 12
12 CON 4
10 BODY 0
11 INT 1
12 EGO 4
13 PRE 3
10 COM 0
4 PD 2
4 ED 2
3 SPD 6
4 REC 0
25 END 1
25 STUN 3
7" RUN23" SWIM12" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 43
Cost Skill
3 Breakfall 12-
3 Climbing 12-
5 Combat Piloting 13-
3 Interrogation 12-
2 AK: South Seas 11-
3 AK: Pirate Island Locale 12-
2 KS: Aircraft 11-
2 KS: Karnage Family History 11-
0 Language: Spanish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)
3 Language: French (completely fluent)
3 Language: English (completely fluent)
4 Navigation (Air) 12-
3 Oratory 12-
4 PS: Air Pirate 13-
3 Stealth 12-
2 Survival (Marine Surface, Tropical Coasts/Pelagic Environments) 11-
3 Tactics 11-
3 TF: Combat Aircraft, Large Planes, Small Planes, Small Rowed Boats
5 WF: Emplaced Weapons, Blades, Electron Beam Weapons, Vehicle Weapons
Skills Cost: 56
Cost Perk
1 Reputation: Fearsome pirate (A small to medium sized group) 8-, +1/+1d6
Perks Cost: 1
Cost Talent
8 Combat Shooting
18 Evasive
24 Hotshot Pilot (Star Hero)
Talents Cost: 50
Val Disadvantages
20 Hunted: Air Police 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)
15 Psychological Limitation: Vain and Egotistical (Common, Strong)
10 Psychological Limitation: Code of the Pirate (Well, actually more like a set of guidelines) (Common, Moderate)
5 Reputation: Idiot Pirate, 8-
15 Social Limitation: Wanted Criminal (Frequently, Major)
10 Unluck: 2d6
Disadvantage Points: 75

Base Points: 75Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 150

Height: 1.72 m Hair: Brown
Weight: 77.00 kg Eyes: Black
Appearance: Don Karnage is a wolfish-looking man (or just plain wolf), with brown hair and pronounced canines. He is not as good-looking as he thinks he is. He normally wears a blue captain's coat, with a cutlass hung on the belt.Personality: Don Karnage considers himself a great pirate, a master swordsman, an ace pilot and a man of honor. All of these are disputed by other people. At this point, he is a pirate because it is the only life he's ever known. Pirate Island has a cave full of treasure, but it can't be spent because all the pirates are wanted men. So, Karnage comes up with ever greater plans of piracy to show his skill and increase his reputation.

 

He's fairly vengeful, and not averse to killing to get his way.

Quote:"This is a pretty fix you have found yourself in, yes, no?" While Don Karnage's primary language is Spanish, his accent is fluid, reflecting a polyglot youth.Background: As with most of the Tale Spin characters, we don't know much about Karnage's personal history. We do know that he comes from a long line of pirates, highwaymen and raiders, possibly as long as a thousand years. Karnage (his given name is unknown, "Don" being an affected title) had no hesitation about going into the family business, choosing the new and exciting field of air piracy. He's managed to assemble a crew of mostly loyal and reasonably competent pirates to assist him, though his primary stroke of brilliance was locating Pirate Island and turning it into a nearly impenetrable base of operations.

 

Karnage's biggest mistake in recent times was recruiting young Kit Cloudkicker, an orphan with remarkable aeronautical gifts, and rather more moral fiber than he was willing to admit. Subsequent events brought Karnage and his Air Pirates into conflict with the Higher for Hire crew who consistently outfoxed and outflew them. Ever since, Karnage has considered anyone connected with Higher for Hire his personal enemies.

Powers/Tactics: Don Karnage is in good, if not spectacular, physical shape, and has been trained in both hand to hand and aerial combat. While Karnage has not problem with using his plane's machine gun, or various emplaced weapons, he disdains firearms in personal combat, relying instead on his trusty cutlass. Don Karnage is a good planner, but consistently overestimates his own skills and luck. He's proven remarkably difficult to capture.

 

(Note that I have not included the points for his followers, base and vehicles, which would pump up his cost considerably.)

Campaign Use: Not surprisingly, Don Karnage is meant as a major villain in an aviation-based pulp campaign. He and his Air Pirates make a good long-term foe. He's fairly translatable to a sea pirate or desert bandit with minor alterations. An interesting twist would be to make him an ally of the player characters if a greater threat appears, as for example, war breaking out.

 

If he needs to be more powerful, give him Fencing, a few combat levels, and maybe a point of Speed. To make him less powerful, cut off his access to his Air Pirate followers.

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