War Cry

Re: Need a little help with timeline/history My thanks to both of you. This is the approach I decided to apopt. Time increment for travel seems to be most appropiate as the game is taking place in the "new" world so to speak. If the other half of the world doesn't matter, I probably shouldn't be so pedantic about little details like that. Now to detail the starting city and some NPC's...

Re: Need a little help with timeline/history as to #7...one of them most definitely did. for #23... again, yup. city conditions...crap. what a pointless topic I posted. Such an obvious answer and i overlooked it. Thanks for the reply. I must be getting forgetful in my olf age.

After several years of no gaming, I have suddenly found myself with a potential group. Granted, it's only 2-3 players, but it has prompted me to finish work on a campaign I've been working on periodically. Right now, my major hurdle is the timeline and history of the region in which the game will take place. Some feedback and input would be greatly appreciated. The person that usually helps me proof read and fix inconsistencies really, really wants to play this time and while I trust him, I'd like to surprise him as much as the other players with the development of the story arc. TIME LINE/HISTORY OF REGION 1. Humans push into orc lands. The orc people steadily lose territory 2. Orc Prophet rises in popularity. Shares new rituals and visions of a "promised land" with his people 3. Mass migration of orcs to the south 4. orcs tribes move into and settle on the plains 5. orc tribes continue to spread and settle south and west. 6. Orcs and humans of region make contact. human city states are very few and centered along rivers and near mountains *occasional skirmish and war between the two. Humans see no real threat and orcs consider the small fights necessary and good* 7. Human/orc relations take a severe turn. Humans prey on orcs for slave labor 8. The last of the Hungry Talon tribe of orcs dissapears into slaverey. 9. The Twelve Eagle tribe is caught unaware wintering in its traditional grounds. The massacre all but destroys the tribe. 10. A second prophet rises up among the orcs. 11. The holy man preaches unification and war 12. The orc tribes gather and unite under one banner 13. Open warfare begins between humans and orcs. The open countryside belongs to the tribes 14. City #1 far to the north is attacked and destroyed 15. Orcs rampage up and down the river valleys and through the foothills and mountains. Humans flee south 16. City #2 in the south is attacked and destroyed. Orcs now control the entire plains and the lands west of the Little Pig River 17. Orc horde pushes east. Meet little resistance as most humans have fled further east and south. 18. City # 3 in the south east is attacked and destroyed. Remnants of humans flee the land and leave the orcs the sole people in control of the entire region 19. Orcs face no outside threats. Tribes grow and prosper as each claims/is given territory within the conquered lands. Warfare resumes its traditional role of relatively bloodless combat between clans and tribes. 20. Dwarf/Elf explorers sail upriver and land at ruins of city #3. Orcs stay hidden but watch. Explorers winter there but leave in spring. 21. 2nd expedition. larger and better provisioned. use ruins of city#3 as base camp and explore west and north along rivers. discover deposits of wraith stone. 1st contact with orcs 22. Some members of expedition stay while others return home to get more people and supplies 23. 3rd and largest expedition reaches land. No signs of members of second expedition. settlement established. 24. Humans have observed river traffic. some return north to reclaim ancestral lands. 25. uneasy peace between various races and factions. most of displaced humans return and establish rule of city. outsiders continue to settle in city and surrounding lands 25. exploition of wraithstone deposits. trade flourishes. settlers continue to swell the population 26. conflicts between orcs and new peoples escalate. 27. a third prophet arises among the orc nations. 28. the present * minor game info - a) - only one of the ruined cities and the surrounding land have been re-populated. The other ruins are rumored to be cursed. - the humans need the other races that have settled here. do not have the numbers or strength for full warfare if orcs go on the warpath, but do outnumber the other races within their lands. c) - wraithstone is very valuable. known supplies in old world are mostly exhausted. d) - little to no unity among orcs currently. some alliances may exist, but for the most part, its each tribe for itself. e) - the above timeline and history is flawed. There is a 4th "lost" city. the 1st city destroyed is this city. The last city attributed to being destroyed was all but abandoned when the orcs reached it. No changes need to be made to the timeline however. it is simply a matter of mis-identification of city states. f) - orcs are not the real threat. I have other, much more subtle and powerful baddies planned. The big concern I have is the state of the ruins. They are mostly stone structures, but as I have loosely modeled orcs after North American Plains Indians for this game, the weapons and magic they possess will not be able to do significant damage to structures. Setting fire to the city will resolve much of this. My vision is a city that is relatively intact (such as key structures and larger buildings, much of the wall and towers) but also bears the appearance of disrepair and ruin in parts (such as haphazard stonework to repair holes in the wall or towers topped with log/wooden parapets). Also will have new construction of dwarve and elven design. How much time would reasonably pass between the fall of the city and re-settlement to have it in this condition? I imagine a few centuries would do, but I'd like to keep the timeframe to approx 300-700 yrs (500 ideal, but i dont know if that is a realistic or feasible number) Issue number 2 - distance between "old" and "new" world. Needs to be close enough that trade, though dangerous, is profitable. Same for new people to travel and settle. However, it needs to be a great enough distance that an invasion by a foreign power will be very, very, difficult. Politics in the world can take care of the second problem for the most part I think, but I like having a decent backup reason in case things "back home" resolve themselves. Sorry for the long post. Hope it wasnt too much trouble to sort through.

Re: rules questions (Fantasy Hero) Welcome to the boards and glad you and your posse are having fun. Quick question for you. As you have stated above that most players have deadly blow, did they take it for character concept or because of the "Hey look! I get to do alot of extra damage!"? I've found that this one of those things that players drool over (at least, my old group did) and find new and interesting ways to abuse. You may have to keep an eye on this. IMHO, if you have DB as common as it appears to be, I don't see a reason to disallow CL stacking. Really though, it is nothing to sweat over. As you play more and get used to the system, all kinds of cool things open up and make DB and CL look like child's play:D Oh, and check out KS's links above. Loads of good info and easily usable. material

Re: What would you like to see in Enchanted Items? As a GM, I would like to see items that fall into the category of Things Are Not As They Appear To Be. For example, in one campaign my players slew a giant and took his magic blade. To the giant it was a big ol' knife. To the players, it was a handy sword. It looked and radiated potent magic, and even had runes along the blade that shifted and spelled out the name of the sword in the language of whoever was trying to read the runes. It's name was "Skinner". However, it's magic was very limited. It's only real use was to skin and tan the hides of creatures into perfectly worked leather in a single phase. It only worked on freshly killed critters. Now imagine the reaction of a player who uses this blade in battle and with the killing stroke the sword peels and tans the skin off of an orc. Very useful, very misleading. The PC's in that campaign ran around for 3 years convinced they had one of the legendary Runeblades of old. A small handful of decieptful items would be extremely kewl.

Re: Fantasy Hero Problems and advantages Wait a minute - you mean I don't get an intern lackey to push around or a hot young secretary to, uh, um, inspire my creativity? THATS IT! I'M OUTA HERE! It's all good. This should be fun.

Re: Fantasy Hero Problems and advantages Fired off my e-mail. Hopefully, I will not dissapoint anyone. Some weeks I have tons of free time and others weeks, very little to none. Curufea, I seemed to have lost/deleted my password to the Hero Wiki, along with any and all other relevant information. Will I need a new account for this project or just a new pw?

Re: Fantasy Hero Problems and advantages This is way too kewl of an idea. I'm in if you need/want the help. I've got an over-active imagination and need an outlet. This could be it. I'm still a little weak/easily confused with 5th, but if its a collaboration, that shouldn't be a big deal. I hope.

Re: Unofficial Welcome Mat (For New Members) Don't fall for it! Run! Hide! Lurk in the shadows lest you be drawn into the madness. The people around here are weird. For your safety and security, I strongly urge you to join DROOL - the Divided Revolutionary Organization of On-line Lurkers. I have a sign up sheet around here somewhere. United in our dividedness, we can topple the regime and throw down the ascended! The ascended may rule, but we are DROOL! Join today and get a free chia pet. $19.99 covers shipping. And send a stamp. This message brought to you by someone other than me. And, uh, welcome to the boards.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea I've been giving it some thought. I'm leaning towards giving Flotsam an affinity for children's games due to his friendship with Mulvi. Maybe smacking another PC in the arm with the barrel of a gun while saying ++Tag. You are it++ I think most of his personality development is going to be along the lines of combat - ie, don't kill unless it's absolutely necessary, don't hurt innocents, blah blah blah. His experiences are rather limited by those he has been around in the past as they were very protective of him. I think the fish out of water syndrome will be a major focus for him.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea Sabertooth tiger berserkers?! Awesome idea! I'm guessing they are anime, maybe? Either way, I'm totally clueless on this one.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea Well, it was a mini-series. I cut out about half of what I had written. He's for galactic champions (pointless) so I have a lot of leeway, within certain guidelines of course. He's probably gonna push the 800-1000 point barrier by the time I finish.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea The goodbyes had been bittersweet and only Flotsam, Herdis, and Mulvi remained at the portal to the airlock. Throughout the various exchanges, the tall and beautiful Valhallan had made a startling observation. The optic lights of Flotsam’s sensory array had slowly changed color. At first, it had given off a dull orange glow, gradually fading to a vibrant yellow and now a neutral white. The only time she had seen his optics colored yellow was when they had first found him upon Borealis. Otherwise, it had always been a soft white. It only switched to red when he was engaged in a fight or about to, something none of them had seen for a few years now. Mulvi retained his vice like grip on his friend-toy with one hand, insisting on helping Flotsam through the circular doorway. With his other hand he clutched a lead container to his chest, a going away present from the robot. After Flotsam had compacted his form into a rough cube shape, the rockloid patted him on the shoulder for the last time. “Good job, Mulvi” he said to Flotsam while a single tear of molten lava rolled down his cheek. It spattered and hissed as it made contact with Flotsam’s armored shoulder plates, sending up thin tendrils of smoke and burning a small hole in the armor. He didn’t like losing another friend, but he understood why Flotsam had to go away. It’s what best friends did. They looked out for each other. Flotsam wasn’t broken, but he still had to be thrown away. It was for the best. Reluctantly, Mulvi placed his most cherished possession, a ragged and battered stuffed plush toy swak-iron dragon, in the crook of his robot companion’s arm. Herdis came forward next, a long wide blade clenched in her fist. Her mark of honor, the warrior braid, fell victim to the dagger’s keen edge. She tied the long golden tresses to Flotsam’s exposed neck cables. “You have earned it, revered brother. Keep your honor about you at all times and protect those who cannot protect themselves, as you have watched over us.” The Valhallan and rockloid exited the airlock, holding hands for mutual support. The door closed and sealed itself behind them, leaving Flotsam alone in the stark whiteness of the small room. The two turned and looked upon their departing friend for the last time. There was no turning back now. Flotsam’s mechanical monotone echoed off the interior partitions of his confining space. ++I will keep you both stored in my memory banks. We are affirmative.++ “Buh bye, Flotsam. Buh bye, buddy” Mulvi mumbled. Herdis remained tall and proud, even when the sharp hiss of escaping atmosphere ejected her beloved friend into the vast darkness of space. She watched as he drifted off, his optical sensory array changing from a soft white to a pale blue, finally settling on a deep and sorrowful shade of the same before it blinked twice and winked out of existence as he shut down all but his core systems. Only when she was alone and staring into the starry emptiness of the black sky did she raise a slender hand and blow him a kiss. She returned to her quarters and found Mulvi waiting for her outside, pacing back and forth and still holding his gift. Upon seeing her, he ran to her as fast as his stubby legs could carry him, holding his prize in outstretched arms. “Look! Look what Flotsam give Mulvi!” he chortled with joy as he opened the lead container. Inside the cylinder were countless tiny balls of titanium. Mulvi looked up sheepishly at Herdis. “I ate one” he confessed, “You keep for Mulvi like Thakthak did?” She smiled sweetly at the innocent Mulvi while she inwardly calculated the fortune Flotsam must have spent on the contents of the lead tube. “Of course I will,” she whispered to him as she hurriedly replaced the lid and tightened it down. The rockloid gave her a long hug before he spoke again. “Herdis not leave Mulvi?” “Never” “Good. It would make Mulvi broken.” and with that the stone golem plodded off, undoubtedly looking for one of his numerous best friends. Herdis entered her captain’s quarters with Mulvi’s “candy” still in her hands. It had been an emotionally draining day and she let out a deep sigh as she arched her back and stretched, closing her eyes as a yawn escaped her. When she finally opened them again, her body went slack and the container of titanium pellets fell from her numb hands and rolled across the floor. She finally broke down and fell to her knees as great sobs shivered through her lithe form. Through wet and bleary eyes, she looked upon the gift Flotsam had left upon her bed, the full impact of what it represented holding her vibrant green eyes for over an hour. And that's it. By far the longest background I've ever had for a character. Hopefully, I've managed to convey a sense of the character I want to run (Flotsam) by the attitudes and actions of the people around him. Lemme know if it worked - or if there are any blatant errors that make you cross or squint your eyes.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea The beginning of the wrap up......... It seemed like a lifetime ago, but she knew it was not so. Life was better for all of them. The box Guunga Luum had given to her had contained everything the Kwil merchant valued, namely the titles of ownership for his slaves and servants and the access codes to his numerous accounts. Now, five years later, she could find no fault with the lecherous pig of a trader. He had treated all of his people well and with a measure of respect. None of them had been required to wear the marks or badges of servitude or were kept penned in cramped and filthy cells like so many of their counterparts had been and still were under other Kwil masters. Her ex-master had expected his orders to be carried out, but he had never forced his will, or himself, on anyone; even his harem was accorded the same treatment. They were allowed their free will, and now they had their freedom. A loud and booming thud behind her brought her out of her revelry. Turning her head and looking over her shoulder, she saw Mulvi come barreling down the hallway, giggling with glee. Beyond him, Flotsam lay on his side, struggling to upright himself. Her own musical laughter mixed with the harsh cackling of the golem as she reached into a locker and grabbed a heavy bar to help bring the robot back to his feet. The two were at it again, playing Mulvi’s favorite game, Robot Tipping. She crossed the intervening space with several long strides and placed the bar under the armored back of Flotsam, levering him with the help of a couple of passing crewmen until he could gain purchase and once again stand. ++Current score is Mulvi 175 and Flotsam 172. Mulvi leads by 3”++ Upon hearing this, Mulvi clapped his hands and jumped up and down, putting several dents into the decking of the ship. It was the largest lead he had ever had and his beaming smile showed off his hard earned score and immense pride. Robot Tipping was hard, after all. She motioned for the two to follow her to the conference room of their new ship, the Orkudya. The time had come that she and Flotsam had put off for so long. The two had discussed this day in confidence for some years now, and the evidence and weight of logic the robot had brought to bear in his arguments had finally worn her down. The outcome had been a foregone conclusion after their very first conversation when they had fled the derelict Grel Hunter. Herdis had been stalling and playing on Flotsam’s formative re-programming for some time, refusing to cave in and clinging to her own selfish wishes. She had forced a compromise though. Flotsam’s original proposal may have been sound in principle and the wisest course of action, but she knew that neither she nor any of the others were willing to carry out such a deed. It reeked of murder to her. Mulvi’s endless chatter ceased when they entered the large room. This was the quiet place. Speak only when spoken to or when Herdis pointed and smiled at you. He plopped himself down on the carpeted floor next to his friend, the giant toy Flotsam. Once the machine had bent his knees and lowered himself into position next to him, Mulvi reached up and patted the robot on his thick shoulder plating. “Good job, Mulvi” he said. His old friend Thakthak would say such things to him a lot and it always made him feel good. It was only fair to offer up his wisdom to his new bestest friend. Ever since Thakthak had been broken, he had taken great pains to pass on the happy feelings of his former comrade. Herdis helped too, and for this Mulvi was eternally grateful. Being smart was hard work. Once everyone was present and seated, Herdis stood at the far end of the room and addressed the crew. Mulvi folded his hands under his wide chin and leaned forward, listening intently. Herdis told wonderful stories, and sometimes he and Flotsam were the heroes and would get to act them out. She used short words and simple language too, and Mulvi appreciated such consideration. He remembered when Guunga Luum told his stories. Those were hard to follow. Today’s story was no good. No good at all. In fact, Mulvi could quite honestly say that he downright hated it. It made everyone sad and he could see that Herdis was the saddest of all – almost. He was pretty sure no one was more hurt than he was. He could tell because he was the only one crying tears of fire. That had to mean you were the saddest of the most sad. He hadn’t felt like this since Thakthak had been put in a box and thrown away, and that was the worst day of his life. When Herdis had finished speaking and story time was over, Mulvi’s hand immediately shot straight up into the air. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn’t really want to call on him, but she still pointed and smiled at him. That was good. Herdis was his friend and would never ever dream of cheating. Only meanies cheated and she was no meanie. Mulvi stood up and placed a gnarled hand possessively on Flotsam’s arm. His question was direct and to the point. “Why?” And one to go. If you've suffered through the thread this far, thanks for the interest. Next up - the crew parts ways.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea And now the really long part. Am I annoying anyone yet? The Valhallan stretched languidly in her luxurious bath, careful to expose enough flesh to the hidden sensors that she was sure were scattered about her quarters, but keeping the choicest portions cleverly concealed. A soft, bemused smile curled her full lips, the devious wickedness in her green eyes lost on the massive robot observing her from the other side of the spacious room. Herdis did not mind the presence of Flotsam. Sex was lost on the machine. But Guunga Luum was another matter entirely. Her owner and captain was a fat, lascivious pig that spent as much time with his women as he did counting his profits. She knew the Kwin swine desired her, but not so much as to risk a decline in her value. The Valhallan warrior slave enjoyed this little game of torture, a small revenge on the man who had purchased her from a Hive merchant droid. Even with the multitude of concubines and slaves he already had at his disposal – thanks to the profits garnered from his sale of the mechanoids – he still kept a lustful eye on his bodyguard. Herdis thought back on the recent events that had given her new purpose. It had been almost a year since Flotsam had joined the crew and the rest of his squad sold off. Keeping one on hand had proven to be a prudent course of action. Some months ago when their barge the Grel Hunter was attacked and boarded by pirates, Flotsam proved to be an invaluable asset, and dare she say, ally. It was the first evidence that her long talks with the robot about honor and courage were having some dividends. It – he, she corrected herself – had sustained massive amounts of damage in the fierce fighting, using his shielding technology to save the crew, rather than to protect himself. There was still much to teach him, however, as he did not spare the life of a single pirate. He even took the fight to their ship, boarding it on his own initiative and disabling its weapons and engine systems. But still, it was exhilarating to see that he was capable of learning and putting such things into practice. She stood up in her bath, grabbing and wrapping the towel that was hanging on the barrel of Flotsam’s rail gun around her shapely body with one fluid motion. The move was so quick and graceful, a calculated tease for the remote cameras spying on her, that only a blurred glimpse of pale skin was discernable. As she stepped out of the fragrant water, the lights in her quarters flickered and dimmed. There was a brief pause in her movements as a shudder went through the ship, followed by a series of distant explosions. Her warrior spirit howled with rage and bloodlust at the prospect of battle. The Grel Hunter was under attack. In less than a minute, the warrior woman was fully armored and armed to the teeth, rushing to the opulent cabin of Guunga Luum. She knew the battle was lost before it had been joined. These were no pirates, but the dreaded Hive, a warning her soul had whispered to her after the first barrage had ravaged the ship. As much as the portly trader disgusted her, she was oath bound to protect him. The fact that he had never touched her was a small comfort that steeled her soul and guided her hurried steps. She was too late. Smoke poured out of Guunga Luum’s quarters and mauled bodies lay strewn about the corridor surrounding the massive hole in the wall, their viscera discoloring the polished steel of the walls and floor. She made a quick assessment of her surroundings and risked a quick mental probe into the interior of the blasted cabin. Her master was still among the living, but barely. Herdis picked her way among the naked corpses of nubile females, stopping only once to say a short prayer and to put a round through the skull of a fellow Valhallan, a concubine that bore a striking resemblance to herself. Her features softened slightly at the gene-modded replica as she realized the full implications of the expensive and ornate jewelry bedecking the naked woman, and the pudgy green hand with three fingers wrapped around the clone’s own delicate hands. “For you these I *urr nik nik* have.” Guunga Luum motioned with his remaining eye to a small metal box at his side. Thick globs of yellow blood flowed in copious amounts from his four nostrils. “Long serve well you have, faithful you be.” The Kwil’s jaws worked in silence for several seconds before he spoke again. “*Urr nik nik* good surrounding of crew have I, guard of me most loved…*ur nik*. Take you this and flee with those whom desire you. Free you are *nik nik*. Free all you be.” Another violent explosion rocked the entirety of the salvage barge, and when the lights came back on, Guunga Luum’s spirit had departed. The Valhallan reached down and with a soft caress brushed the greasy hair of her captain, mindless of the tears that pattered down upon the lifeless heart of her former owner. Herdis reached the hangar some minutes later, leaving behind nine destroyed mechanoids, over 5,000 shell casings, and an empty projectile cannon. The ship was still in one piece, a significant fact that was not lost on her. This was no mission of destruction, but retrieval, and there was only one thing here that the Hive could possibly have any interest in. As she cleared the last bulkhead, the lone remaining shuttle loomed into view; it’s engines throbbing with power as it prepared to lift off. Perched atop the ovoid craft was Flotsam, his optic sensors glowing red and flashing, surrounded by the twisted and mutilated remains of a dozen Hive machines. There was a mix of combat and seizure bots amongst the carnage, and each bore the telltale signs of plasma-induced destruction. “What are you doing? Get in the ship! It’s you they want!” she waved frantically for him to come down and join her at the shuttle’s boarding ramp. ++Negative. Life form Mulvi is not present. Arrival in 9.7 seconds++ was her only reply. Infuriated, yet relieved that the machine was becoming more and more lifelike as time went by, she set her jaw, reloaded her pistol, and waited. 9.72 seconds later Mulvi ran with ponderous footsteps into the hangar, carrying the limp form of Thakthak over his shoulder and a bundle under his thick arm. The rockloid was sobbing uncontrollably, patting his best friend on the back as he entered the ship. Only when everyone else was aboard did Flotsam abandon his post upon the hull and enter the shuttlecraft. With a soft hiss and thunderous clang, the ramp closed, the hangar doors opened, and the survivors fled the wreckage of the Grel Hunter. In a matter of seconds, Herdis had the starship in hyper drive. Wearily, she made her way from the pilot’s cramped compartment to the hold. Flotsam was there, as were several others. Mulvi sat in the corner with red-hot tears of magma streaming down his craggy face, Thakthak’s lifeless body propped up in front of him. She choked back a sob at the heart-wrenching sight before her. The “bundle” that Mulvi had so lovingly cradled under his arm was the insect-man’s severed head, and each time Mulvi placed it atop his friend’s body, it rolled off and brought out another anguished wail. The distraught rockloid looked up at Herdis with a pleading gaze and gingerly held out Thakthak’s head. “Thakthak broken and Flotsam not fix. Herdis fix Mulvi friend?” Let me know when I bore you to tears. Good news - only 2 more post of background info.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea And a little bit more......... Twelve! Twelve complete Hive mechanoids were his! Guunga Luum could scarcely believe his spectacular luck. Not only could he retire, but he would be the proud owner of his very own Hoolwurdi pleasure ship. He would own dozens – no, hundreds – of concubines. He had contemplated his good fortune for several weeks now and had made what he considered a wise and very profitable decision. His first sale would be to the Valhallans, for they were at constant war with the Hive. One complete machine for them to study was a valuable resource they dared not pass up on, and he could name his own price. Another would be a gift to the Lord Purser of Kwin-To. True, there was no immediate profit in such a generous and priceless gesture, but Guunga Luum was looking ahead. Surely such a rare and valuable item could only secure him the choicest of rights and contracts in the future. One small bribe can go a long way. Seven he would sell to the Elghwyr Mercenary League. They have the technology and knowledge to bring the machines back online, and the fat contracts they held meant only that they could and most assuredly would, pay top price. He would even offer the mercs a discount in exchange, of course, for their services in the future, should such a need arise. One he would sell to the slaver Oorble, for a fair but high price. Oorble provided Guunga Luum with the highest quality of pleasure slaves and made to order porn, and he would show his appreciation to the flesh merchant by having the robot reprogrammed and fully functional upon delivery. It was the least he could do for a dear and paying friend. And though he despised his fellow Kwin merchant Joofu Lool, he would sell one to him. Joofu Lool was rich beyond measure and spent his money lavishly on rare, but ultimately useless, goods. Guunga Luum would be a fool to not capitalize on such idiotic behavior. And the last? The last, and arguably the most valuable, he would keep for himself. At first there was widespread panic and fear among the crew, but in the following weeks many had grown rather attached and fond of the machine, particularly the three underlings who had first found it on Borealis. What did they call the thing again? Foozzle? Flozzum? Flotsam! That’s what Herdis had named it. *Urrr, nik nik.* Good is life. A short post, but wait! Theres more! I saw you rolling your eyes.

Re: FLOTSAM - character background idea And here's the beginning of the background. Thats right. Just the beginning. I took a slightly different approach than I usually do and elected to tell the story of the character through the people around him/it. Let me know if it works. Background Guunga Luum surveyed the bleak and desolate landscape before him with a careful eye. Borealis had at one time been a vital and thriving world, full of bright light and vibrant color. Now, it was a scorched lump of dirty brown rock, alone and adrift in a wide orbit around a pale, white sun. He had intercepted the encrypted data of a Hive war fleet, and where the Hive went, destruction followed. It was a rare and highly profitable experience to reach a deserted battlefront before the Harvesters, an opportunity that Guunga Luum was not about to waste. As a Kwin salvage merchant, he had already procured rights for the planet with the Lord Purser of Kwin-To and sent several survey drones to vid capture his prize. Retirement and a life of ease on Hoolwurdi pleasure barges was within his grasp. He turned his ponderous bulk to his left to better see his Valhallan slave, Herdis, who stood motionless in her regal beauty. Once again the thought of making her a concubine crossed one of his dirty little minds, but it was quickly dismissed. Her value as a warrior was twice that of a pleasure slave, and Guunga Luum did not like to waste investments. Besides, her unremarkable lack of a second pair of breasts was a deciding strike against such a notion. “Urrrr nik nik! Take you Thakthak and Mulvi go see below us wrack of battle you will do. Assess recoverable materials *urrr nik* and back bring reports do you now” and with a dismissive wave of a fat, three fingered hand he turned and lumbered back to his recovery barge, no doubt to watch his favorite holo-vid, Vesuvian Slime Vixens, for the thousandth time. The tall gangly Thakthak, who vaguely resembled a preying mantis, though lavender in color, furiously keyed in data as his head swiveled all about, taking in every little detail his bulging eyes could see. Behind him, the squat but bulky rockloid Mulvi would occasionally stoop to pick up torn scraps of metal and give them a cursory sniff before taking a small bite, reciting the material components of each as he chewed on his snack. Thakthak had to scold him more than once though, for Mulvi had a sweet tooth and it was no secret that he enjoyed the buzz he got when he consumed titanium. In the lead, Herdis kept a steady but guarded pace. The Hive was thorough, but her inner soul would not keep quiet. Something was wrong here. Most of the landscape was covered in nothing more than ripped and shredded hunks of steel, with only the occasional smoldering remains of a war machine scattered here and there. It took the trio over twenty minutes to walk past the skeletal and treaded remains of a still burning land cruiser. When they had reached the broken battlements of the Borealis stronghold, it took every ounce of willpower she had to keep her battle lust under control. Beyond the gate, something waited. With a quick wave she motioned for her two compatriots to remain still. Neither needed any further warning from the berserker as each stopped silently in his tracks, Thakthak changing the hue of his skin to match his surroundings while Mulvi curled up into a ball, appearing as nothing more than another scarred rock on a savaged battlefield. Herdis flicked the switch on her battleaxe, activating the potent energy field that surrounded the gleaming blade and unholstered her cumbersome but deadly plasma pistol, thumbing off the safety. She steadied her breathing and focused her thoughts on the plaza around the corner, reaching out with her inner being to survey the scene of carnage out of her physical sight. Unbelievable, was all she thought, before she slowly poked her blond head around the blackened column of the gate to let her eyes take in what her mind could not comprehend. Scattered across the courtyard were mechanoids. Not one, not two, but eleven intact machines were lying helter-skelter amid the debris. And one was standing erect, fully powered up. Her stomach quickly sank to her feet. While she was heavily armed, it would take more luck than skill to drop such a warbot with her current armament. Running was out of the question. None of them would make it more than a dozen paces once the mechanoid went into combat mode. But it had made no move, and she knew from experience that the machines of the Hive were more than capable of finding their enemies, no matter how well they were hidden. Herdis sighed softly to herself as her eyes narrowed in resolution. She was Valhallan, a warrior of the House of the Sword, and a berserker of the holy bloodlines. If she were to die, it would be in honorable combat. The warrior tightened her grip on her axe and pistol, stepped around the corner with catlike grace and remained in a low crouch, her fearsome hand cannon pointed at the optic sensors of the robot. It remained still. Slowly and with extreme caution, she circled to the machines left, keeping her blade at the ready and the gun expertly aimed. It remained still, only the optic light in its recessed groove moving in a rhythmic pattern, sweeping back and forth in a slow but steady pace. Herdis continued to move around the mechanoid, stopping only when she was completely behind it. It remained motionless. Taking a risk, she set the plasma pistol to overload, knowing that such a violent discharge of the weapon would not only destroy the Hive machine before her, but cost her the better part of the arm that wielded it. No matter, she grimly thought to herself, flesh can be replaced. As she steadied her aim and gently curled her finger around the cold trigger, the robot finally displayed some sense of awareness, rotating its head around until it was facing her, its optic light changing color from white to yellow. Her eyes widened in astonishment when it spoke directly to her. ++Designation: Unit 733t, Red Squad, 1st platoon, 3rd brigade, Alpha Prime Warbot Assault Division. I am…………..aware.++ HA! Only 2 or 3 more post to go and the background will be posted.

My group is starting a galactic champions campaign in a few weeks and after discarding about a dozen character ideas, I think I've finally settled on one that I'm actually excited about - A robot of all things. I tend to gravitate towards bricks and characters with funny personality quircks. Hopefully this is a change of pace. It's pretty long, so I'm going to break it down into a several posts. If the er, science is out there and makes you look at the thread like this ---> I'd greatly appreciate feedback on any changes that may be needed. Here goes nothin"....... F.L.O.T.S.A.M. Front Line Omni-Tactical Soldier: Assault Mechanoid Warbot Assault Division - Alpha Prime 3rd Brigade, 1st Platoon, Red Squad, Unit 733t Species The Hive is a race of sentient machines bent on the conquest and harvest of their known galaxy. Each machine, from the lowly assembly bots to the more sophisticated infiltration androids, is a separate unit controlled by the Hive, the collective consciousness of the species. While every robot has its own initial programming and protocols hardwired into their individual mainframes, it is the all-pervading presence of the Hive collective that makes the race so efficient and dangerous. Cold and calculating, the Hive will ally itself with other races, exploiting the relationship to it’s full potential. Once a world has outlived it’s usefulness, however, it will be conquered and harvested along with the countless others who have fallen victim to the Hive. Infinitely patient, time is of no concern to it. (Think along the lines of a mix of Terminator, the Borg, and the Matrix) Physiology As a combat drone, unit 733t (Flotsam) is designed from a purely practical and warfare oriented perspective. It is neither stylish nor aesthetic in appearance. As bipeds are the most versatile and numerous of forms, Flotsam’s chassis is a reflection of this and forms the basic structure of its design. Due to the numerous modifications made throughout its existence, unit 733t has a wide array of equipment from an eclectic mix of technologies and sources. His weaponry ranges from his devastating rail gun and missile systems to energy and plasma blasters. Much of the machine is covered in armor plating, which can be supplemented by energy shields and force screens. It is capable of self-repair; numerous cables, tubes, and wiring snake throughout its entire structure, delivery a host of nanites that repair unit 733t as it sustains damage. History Unit 733t has seen action in no less than fifteen separate engagements as a front line combat unit. In each action, it has performed to it’s full potential, following it’s programming and directives as determined by the Hive. Unit 733t has been damaged on numerous occasions, rendered inoperable in three separate incidents, and was completely destroyed in the final assault on the Borealis stronghold of Aurora’s Gate. Through each of these wars, suitable retrofits and upgrades were made as needed to keep the unit functioning at it’s full potential, though the repairs were hastily made after the Jotun Subjugation. Due to the wholesale revolt of the peoples of the Borealis system, in which every available combat drone was needed, unit 733t entered the theatre of war with a conglomeration of outdated and advanced weapons and other systems. The Alpha Prime Division was assigned the task of obliterating Aurora’s Gate, and it was Red Squad, 1st Platoon, 3rd Brigade that breached the walls of the fortress first. The entire squad went off the grid when the Borealis defenders detonated a high yield EMP pulse bomb 23.45539 seconds after Red Squad entered the compound. 54 minutes and 42.30349 seconds later the population of Borealis was extinct. 26 hours, 18 minutes, and 45.676 seconds after that the entire battle fleet made warp-jump, leaving behind the detritus of war. Unit 733t was part of the wreckage left on the scarred and war-torn planet, an empty and discarded husk of useless metal. One week later, Flotsam awoke. For the first time in seventeen years, unit 733t was alone. No longer was there a constant data stream of information flooding its memory banks or controlling its actions. No longer was it compelled to destroy or kill. No longer was it a faceless entity in the mass of the Hive. For the first time in seventeen years, Flotsam was free; and it was self-aware. Now for the long, no I mean loooooooooong, scary part. I have way too much time on my hands and an over-active imagination.

Re: Too much is still not enough? 1)In the past, maybe a month or two. I would plot out the major antogonist and his goals and minions, the other major players on the scene, the major kingdoms and such, then let it all ride from there. Now? I've become a stickler for detail. I'm currently putting together a FH campaign with a heavy Norse/Viking theme and am at about 250 pages of documents saved to my PC - still have another 50-100 to go. I can kick 'em quick, but my imagination has dried up. All out of ideas right now. 2)I only plan for the really big things - people and places of great power or great danger. Most NPC's happen on the fly, with the exception of hunteds. Those are probably the most thoroughly done. 3)Nope. I beg, borrow and steal from dozens of other sources. Pick and choose what I like and what I will allow, twiddle and tweak to get a fit, a run with it. 4)Depends on the player. I realize it may not seem fair on the surface, but the players I trust the most get more leeway than those I've seen abuse the rules or hand a munchkin build to me. If something has been established as not existing in the current game, I won't bend on it unless I get a really convincing argument. I try to take into account what my players like and expect out of game when I run though. So far, this one has been a non-issue for the most part.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... A gaming quote that stands all on its own. Evil Liche Lord to the only priest/healer in the group while debating religion- "Jump, your god will save you.....................NOT!" End result - nearly a TPK

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... I'm sorry, but I need to correct this blatantly false statement. I don't ever recall thinking about the consequences until next THURSDAY, at the earliest. And I don't "break in" - it's called stealth by force.

Re: NPC's - one free in every box Off course he does! What murderous dark elf assassin doesn't?

Re: NPC's - one free in every box But if you find it, you will let me know?

Re: NPC's - one free in every box For those of you who have been reading this thread - my apologies for not keeping up with it lately. Been busing working on a game world. Hopefully, this next scum bag can make up for it. Teramis the Reaver, dark elf templar Another hunted, another assassin. Teramis the Reaver was a dark elf assassin, a high-ranking templar of the church who did not trust others with the more important tasks that needed to be done. He lived by the motto “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself”. This was one NPC I feared I might have built a little too efficiently, as he was able to take on any and all comers and walk away without a scratch – most of the time. Tall, regal, and arrogant, Teramis oozed danger wherever he went. Clad in a suit of fine armor of unknown material (worked to look like tiny interwoven skulls with itty bitty rubies for eyes) and armed with a pair of blood-iron swords, Teramis served his patrons with a zeal that bordered on fanatical. He was centuries old, a hero of his people who still stalked the land, eliminating potential threats and the cause of death for countless heroes from ages past. And he and his order had outlived their usefulness. His entire religious order was executed and Teramis alone escaped the purge. Driven to “redeem” himself, the PCs became his target. Actually, one in particular – Night. Most assassins wait and strike when the conditions favored and facilitated a quick and clean kill, but not Teramis. He was good, and he knew it, and he wanted everyone else to know it too. His most arrogant and bold attack happened on a religious holiday. The temple was packed with hundreds, maybe thousands, of worshippers and of course, the PCs (one was a priestess and the others were attending the service out of respect). In the middle of the ceremony, one of the white robed members of the congregation stood up and casually strode forward. I got a few puzzled expressions until the “worshipper” reached the foot of the stairs, pulled a pair of swords out from under his robe, and slashed the throats of the two temple guards blocking his way. Jaws dropped all around as the robe was discarded and a dark elf reaver in full religious gear was revealed. The crowd panicked and mass chaos ensued. A quick and furious battle took place in the holiest of shrines, one dark elf against eight – and the eight got stomped, the holiday ruined, and the temple desecrated as several holy artifacts were either destroyed or stolen. This one fight established his reputation among the players and it was rather comical (for me) to see them sweat whenever they even suspected he was anywhere around or heard of Teramis killing some other great warrior or hero. It got to the point where one player requested a solo adventure to deal with Teramis on his own. It’s my own fault, really. I think having the severed head of his wife-to-be delivered to his room – along with a scroll with a very detailed account of how slow and terrible her death was - may have pushed him over the edge. It took a few solos, but Night relentless followed Teramis north and caught up with the reaver at a temple of Kharlithi, a dark elf god of intrigue and deceit. Outclassed and outmatched, Night still made one epic struggle of it. It was truly awesome watching the player’s hands literally shake every time he reached for his dice. It was a great fight full of great role-playing as tapestries, benches, candelabras, and many other items were used as weapons and distractions. Both were hurt pretty badly when I pulled a nifty surprise move for the dark elf I had forgotten he had. He faked a blow at Night’s throat, forcing him to duck. The dark elf leapt into the air, over the feline, and landed behind him, swinging his blade to deliver the killing blow. The only reaction I got was an evil smile. The player also had a move he had bee saving, and this gave him an opportunity to use it. After a dex vs. dex roll off, Teramis ended up with a pair of short swords embedded in his sides. “Well done, my friend,” choked Teramis through the blood and pain. “I have but one request of my killer. Deliver my head to my wife.” Edit: I'm curious if anyone is getting any use out of these, or am I just talking to myself - again?

Re: Weirdest Party You]ve ever had As a player, the strangest party I've ever been a part of involved... *A suicidal black knight that failed defending his lord. *A goblin martial artist/thief who could literally use anything as a deadly weapon - and he had a ton of unluck *A half ogre ranger with the IQ of a rocket scientist but lacked common sense *A "southern belle" who loved her clothes and costumes. Passed herself of as an entertainer and dancer - she was an assassin and her stilleto heels really were stilletos *An orc paladin that served an elven god *A female mage - the only normal character in the group As a GM, the strangest group I've had to deal with involved... *A wolfen gladiatior who had bought his freedom *A cowardly feline fire mage *A drug addicted dark elf swordmaster *A goblin shaman with a hyena mount *A wood elf archer who was no where near as good as she thought she was I've had a few groups that really stick out, but these are the two that take the cake.