Death's Chase

Already discussed this a little bit on social media over the past week, basically been trying to figure out how to run the Death's Chase air race with the Savage Worlds rules. Believed I've figured something out that at least people can try.

Death's Chase uses the Chase rules in the Savage Worlds Deluxe edition, it has a total of three laps with each lap being a Standard Chase in their own right. The first lap is the 'sounding lap' and simply involves getting round the course, laps two and three are 'weapons free' as in combat is allowed.

The following additional rules are used, these rules are to be used instead of the normal Chase rules where conflict between the two arise.

Setup

Beginning the race by assigning a different token for each individual racer, then determine the Race Order in a similar fashion as to how initiative is determined with the highest scoring racer at the front (or first place) of the Race Order.

Gameplay

Follow the Chase rules as normal with regards to rolling the manoeuvring trait (Piloting in this case) and each racer getting a card. An "advantage" is typically over the racer in front and must be declared as either "position" or "combat" (if after the first lap).

*Position - Means the racer has overtaken the racer in front and so their token is moved along one place in the Race Order.

*Combat - Racer gains +2 on their attack rolls.

Attacks are only allowed during the second and third laps, in addition a racer is only allowed to attack the person in front of them in the Race Order. The manoeuvring Trait roll is simply to determine initiative order for each round.

There is no change in the Race Order in between laps, having separate Chases for each lap is simply to allow the GM a chance for any non-racing players to do 'behind the scenes' stuff and thus keep them involved. The winner is whoever is in the first place of the Race Order at the end of the third and final lap, anyone who crashes during any of the laps is considered to be out of the race and is removed from the Race Order.

Final Thoughts

Tried to keep things simple and I hope people trying these rules out, though it would be interesting to see people's thoughts on them. I've been suggested to read through Gladiators of the Dominion, something that I'll probably do at some point in the future to at least compare the above rules with the chariot racing rules in that book.

Feel free to post thoughts and comments.

Plot, Adventure Plots & More Plot

Currently have a few ideas for adventures for Frozen Skies kicking around, plus a possible Plot Point Campaign. So decided to post up an overview of each one, see what interests people, etc.

*The Lost Sodkan Mine - This one I've already run a couple of times, but it still feels that it needs some more work on it. It basically involves the players getting roped in to investigate a recent series of attacks by 'mysterious ironclad raiders' and ends up with an old mine and a gunfight with agents of the Iron Collective. Considering having an alternative intro to the adventure, perhaps arriving in a town during or just after the raiders attack.

*Remnants - Working title as the moment, but it basically begins with the players getting another job from the crime lord Ferret and a sort-of follow on from Firewater & Ice. At first glance it may seem like a straightforward job; travel to some remote ghost town and meet up with one of Ferret's agents in order to pick up a package. In typically "things never go smooth" fashion the ghost town proves to be anything but and the guy they're suppose to be meeting is nowhere in sight, though he has left notes explaining that something isn't quite right in the town.

*The Spires - Again, another working title. This is the Plot Point Campaign I'm kicking about in my head at the moment. It concerns the pirate haven of Broken Spires, chiefly a power play between the various sky pirate captains and an attempt by the Commonwealth to crush this bastion of piracy for once and for all. It's already shaping up to be a possibly complex campaign as the players will probably end up interacting with multiple factions, wonder to play off against one another or somehow unite them.

And Lastly - An honourable mention of a one sheet I wrote, involves the players breaking into a rival crime boss' warehouse amidst the backdrop of a pit fight/boxing match. Things get...complicated.

December 2015 Update

We're now hurtling towards Midwinter and the twilight of one year ready for the dawn of the next.

Interest in both the Frozen Skies Setting Primer and the Firewater & Ice adventure seems to be steady, I still get a handful of sales notifications each week with a slow trickle of income from the paid for purchases. The majority of my sales are still 'free' ones which I've come to expect from Pay What You Want (though the 'paid' ones still surprise me from time-to-time), plus thus far I've only encountered one person who's tried to pirate my stuff. Plus the general awareness of the Frozen Skies setting is steadily growing as proven by a recent discussion on Facebook (so guess I'm doing something right).

So a big thank you to everyone who's supported me thus far in this crazy venture, be it whether liked a blog post or even nabbed a copy of the Setting Primer. It means alot that at least I've created something that people have found interesting enough to warrant a closer look.

Granted my goal of getting a fully fledged book out remains unfulfilled, though I'm a few steps closer with extra artwork done and of course the Setting Primer out. I am expecting the arrival of my first-born child round Valentine's next year, though at first glance that may throw a spanner in the works but it could be a blessing in disguise since I'll be able to take a few weeks off from work but we'll have to see how it all goes. In addition I've gotten a new dayjob that has more hours and a slightly higher rate of pay, least its a better source of funds (whilst it lasts) to at least get more artwork paid for, etc.

A newborn child is going to have a major effect on what events I can attend next year. For starters UK Games Expo is out of the question, granted with the new dayjob the cost may not be such a big issue as it was but logistics remain a big problem. So that leaves events closer to home, chiefly ones that can be done in a single day. So Diceni in Norwich and ExiliCon in Cambridge are the events currently on the radar, though events in London are being considered but again we'll have to see.

Once again, thanks for all the support.

Gearheads, Scrappers & Canners

Often with machines there will be those who are passionate about them in some form or another, they may be those who tinker with machines as a hobby for those who put serious investment of both time and money into said machines. In Darmonica they are known by many names, Gearheads, Scrappers and Canners.

This week is their moment in the spotlight.

Gearheads

The term 'Gearhead' is often used as a nickname for those who like to tinker with machines, almost all Gearheads are mechanics but not all mechanics are Gearheads. A normal mechanic simply repairs and keeps a machine running, a Gearhead goes the extra mile to improve said machine by trying to increase its performance. Unsurprisingly given the current popularity of air travel that alot of Gearheads are aircraft mechanics, especially those involved in the air racing circuits. Very few Gearheads can be found in military service and when they are found in the Service they're often posted to remote bases where they can do the least amount of damage. Gearheads are more likely to be found in independent outfits or places like Broken Spires, ones of looser morals can find easy employment amongst air pirate gangs.

Less common are Gearheads who specialize in car, trucks and other land vehicles as their work is more limited to keeping the vehicles running rather than boosting the engine power particularly out in remote regions. Virtually unheard of is Gearheads onboard ships, though they do exist in limited numbers.

Scrappers

The demand for spare parts is often greater than the supply, this is where Scrappers come in.

Scrappers are basically salvage-men, with wreckage of war machines still littering the old battlefields they are doing good if sometimes illegal work. They keep a sort of grey market for spare parts well supplied with pieces they've managed to scavenge from a wrecked tank or crashed aircraft, some work may be required to bring said parts up to standard but you get what you paid for.

There are rumours that some of the scrappers' wares might be stolen...

Canners

Lastly there are the men women dubbed 'Canners', similar to aviators except the craft they pilot are land based contraptions such as Walkers which are effectively walking tanks and Mechsuits which are primitive suits of power armour. The nickname Canners comes from both Walkers and Mechsuits being called 'Tin Cans' (often not in a good way), though the Canners wear the name as a sort of badge of pride.

Canners are often found in independent outfits, though they are also found in military service but are often loners and outcasts in their units and are usually considered to skirt the borderline of insolence by officers. The most famous Canners are the pilots of the Artian Mechjager Divisions, the bane of many armoured units throughout the War.

Thats Entertainment

Apologies for being a day late again, been bit of a busy week.

This week's post it seemed natural to build upon the last couple of posts and cover recreation in Alyeska.

Cinemas and air racing have been mentioned, as well as various festivals. Though there are other ways that Alyeskans have of keeping themselves entertained such as sports and other activities.

Public Houses - Pubs (as they're more commonly known) are the predominant hostelry in the Commonwealth and they vary quite a lot. Generally the drinking age is 18. The Commonwealth does maintain a drinking hours policy which means that pubs have to close before midnight local time and there is no legal twenty four hour drinking in the Commonwealth except in a few private clubs and military messes. The ability of the mess to stay open for extended hours makes them an unusual recreational establishment and emphasises the perks of Militia membership. Broken Spires is the exception to the rule as the town doesn't recognize the Commonwealth's authority and opening hours are determined by the pub owners themselves.

Gambling - Gambling is legal in the Commonwealth but restricted, heavily regulated and taxed. Most gambling can only happen in licensed Betting Shops and a fairly rigorous watch is kept on these, so although they are profitable they are generally “clean”.

Sports

Auto Racing - Automobile racing is a newly introduced sport to Alyeska, though it hasn't gained widespread popularity as of yet. Presently only dirt tracks exist and motorcycle racing is more popular since its easier to get into.

Bandy - Bandy is a sport very similar to ice hockey but is played in halves if 45 minutes each, there are 11 players on each team and is played on a bigger pitch (typically the size of a football/soccer pitch). It is played on ice with the players using bowed sticks and a small ball.

Ice Skating - Ice skating is a popular local sport, typically in towns with access to nearby frozen rivers or lakes. Men (or sometimes women or children) compete for prizes of money, clothing or food. Prior to the Great Darmonican War there was grand or championship matches in which skaters from across Alyeska would compete for cash prizes in front of crowds of thousands.

Festivals & Holidays

Day later than planned due to a bout of illness but here is this week's post.

Recently we've had various holidays, celebrations and days of observances which got me thinking about similar days and events in Darmonica. I've long kicked about ideas for events linked to the deities of Darmonica, like for example an April's Fools style day linked to a trickster god, but I've still have a great deal of work to do on both the calender and the deities themselves.

Regardless, heres a few examples you may find useful for your games.

Armistice Day - A relatively new event that has risen in the decade or so since the end of the Great Darmonican War, both to celebrate the War's end and to honour those who lost their lives during the conflict. It typical involves a parade of veterans and current serving soldiers with a memorial service.

Commonwealth Day - Originally a celebration of the Commonwealth that involved an organised and ritualistic veneration of the Commonwealth flag. In addition schoolchildren were given the afternoon off to attend further events that were usually held in their local community. However with many Alyeskans feeling a sense of betrayal and abandonment by the Commonwealth the day is now marked by a toast in pro-Commonwealth taverns and private clubs.

Death's Chase - Actually an air race but it has grown into an annual event year in the pirate haven of Broken Spires and draws many people as the Spires takes on a carnival-like atmosphere. The race itself involves three laps through the twisting canyons and caves that surround Broken Spires, it requires a great deal of piloting skill to ensure that you don't crash into a rockface. A few number of racers drop out during the first or so-called 'Sounding Lap', though its the second and third laps where things get interesting. The other two laps are 'weapons free', the racers are allowed to shoot one another down but only if they're BEHIND their opponent (they're not allowed to swing round for an attack, though some racers learn the route to know where they can get the drop on somebody).

In short, its race where it pays to NOT be in first place.

Founding Day - Different in every settlement of Alyeska, each city and town has its own unique way of celebrating its Founding Day. These festivals often include carnivals, parades and competitions such as bareknuckle boxing and air racing.

Shrouded Days - Occurring the winter months in the more northern regions of Alyeska is a period where the sun never rises, which can range from a few days to a month effectively being a polar night. The beginning is marked by the Exodus where a large number of people leave the north to spend the period with relatives, though a number of people stay behind. A celebration called Dwanfest happens when the first sunrise happens, typically involves partying and drinking to celebrate 'surviving through the night'.

Summerfaire - A week long festival representing the middle of summer, frequently involves carnivals and communal events. In northern region it co-insides with the 'White Nights' or polar day that is centered round the summer solstice.

Tarfest - As the year rolls round into winter during the month of Tarblawan high winds beset Alyeska, rising to a point halfway through the month where it becomes too windy for flying before the weather settles down again. Aviators typically spend this period grounded and drunk whilst the more devout offer up prayers to Taran, the Goddess of the Sky.

Winterfest - A festival occurring during Midwinter, a time for gatherings of family and friends to celebrate the end of the year and herald the new one. Feasts are quite popular, so is gift giving.

Communications For The Masses

Thanks to Jubal of Exilian for the topic.


In a frontier land like Alyeska the ability for long distance communications can be critical to the survival of a settlement, whether it is under attack or running dangerously low on supplies. Originally such communications were made by the use of semaphore telegraph, a system of conveying information by means of visual signals, and post riders over short distances. Electrical telegraphy later came to the fore, providing many advantages over the previous semaphore system, but has now in turn been largely replaced by wireless telegraphy. Likewise, the post riders of old have been completely replaced by air mail.

There are two major forms of wireless communications used in Alyeska, the first is radioteletype and the other is two-way radio. Radioteletype is system of two or more electromechanical teleprinters connected by radio, this forms the bulk of the Alyeskan communications network and is used much like a telegraph service. Two-way radio is used to a lesser degree, typically only by the military, the Air Police and aviators. Both rely on the network of wireless stations scattered about Alyeska that act as rely stations to boost the signal and are capable of transmitting their own messages such as meteorological reports and relying aircraft distress calls. Whilst these wireless stations require a fair amount of manpower, they don't have to worry that much about lines being brought down by harsh weather.

Aside from radioteletype, the average Alyeskan has access to a postal service and a limited telephone system. The present postal service is virtually identical to the original post riders, save that aircraft have taken over from the horses. Mail is still delivered to a central location in a given settlement, usually called a post office, for collection by the townspeople. Most post offices are located in a settlement's general store, but much larger towns may have their own dedicated building to use as a post office. Those who regularly move about typically declare certain settlements for their mail to be sent to, though this can often mean that said mail is waiting for a number of months before it finally gets picked up. The post offices is also where people can use radioteletype, but it still suffers from the same problem that the mail service has in that the intended receiver still has to collect the message on the other end. Taverns can also be used as mail drop points by those wishing to avoid official channels for whatever reason. In the largest cities in Alyeska there is a public telephone service, mostly in the form of telephone boxes and private owners such as businesses or those who can afford a phone being installed. The service is limited to the city where its based, though the Commonwealth is looking at expanding the service.

News and general information are usually spread via the form of posters on notice boards, newspapers and cinemas. Notice boards are common in the smaller settlements, normally found in the town's general store along with a handful of weekly newspapers, and only really with local matters but are still a great source of information for new arrivals. Newspapers tend to be more popular in the larger settlements that are lucky enough to have their own printing press, more remote settlements tend to get newspapers that may be a week or so old whilst the biggest towns enjoy almost daily newspapers. Cinemas are the other means of spreading news, normally showing news reels in between films that run all day. The larger towns have the luxury of having cinemas that are open all week, others either have one thats only open a limited number of days or rely travelling mini-cinemas that stop off in different towns and show silent films that may only pass through once a month. However Alyeskans get their news some of it, especially if its from outside Alyeska, will be out of date by anywhere from a few days to a few months.

It has to be said that the Iron Collective has the most advance and reliable telecommunications service, one that outshines everything else in Darmonica. In the public spaces of virtually of the Iron Collective's towns and cities that exist television like screens that silently display messages and information all day long, the service can be edited to instantly display new messages if the authorities need to urgently inform citizens of key information like during an emergency for example. Thus far none of the other countries have anything that comes close to this system.

Remnants

Now I've talked a bit about the Ancient Terrans, that their civilisation collapsed centuries ago and some of their stuff was left lying around. Of the latter I've never really gone into much detail, so this week I seek to address that and offer some fodder for your games.

Ruins

Without a question the most visible remnant of the Ancient Terrans is the frost-coated, crumbling ruins of what were once their cities and outposts. They are spread far and wide, many believe that some are even located beyond what has been 'explored' of Alyeska today and back up their claims by pointing to what appears to be the remains of a rail network. Others have even claimed to have found wrecks of Ancient Terran skyships, though if this was proven true then it would reinforce the theory of the Ancient Terrans' technological prowess and explain how their empire once covered large parts of Darmonica.

Elsewhere in Darmonica virtually all of the old ruins have been used as the foundations for modern towns and cities, adapted in some cases as sewers or just left as a warren of tunnels beneath the city streets.The same has happened in Alyeska, but on a much smaller scale and as such there are many ruins left virtually untouched. Amongst academic circles the Alyeskan ruins are considered prime sites for study, a lot of the ruins however lie within the Wulfland but hasn't stopped the odd researcher with more money than sense.

The most notorious of the Alyeskan ruins has to be the Monolith and, by extension, the Great Stones of the Chillwynd Marches. To this day nobody has found out why the Ancient Terrans decided to carve out a completely flat plain that forms a perfect circle, nor the purpose of the standing stones that ring it in an exact copy of a clock-face. Located at the exact dead center of the Marches and rising high into the sky like a spire stands the Monolith, this great structure has many mysteries contained within and a grim reputation for madness. Much like Marches that surround it, people have vanished without a trace in the Monolith as well. There are others, sole survivors of missing expeditions, that have returned with their minds broken by whatever they'd encountered and either wind up dead or eventually vanish.

Artefacts

Less common but probably something that the average person is probably more likely to see or hear about is an Ancient Terran Artefact. These range from simple relics through to arcane devices whose workings baffles even the most smartest scientist. Whatever they may actually be they are widely sought after by those with the money to acquire such items, though this has resulted in a large number of fakes doing the rounds as people let greed get the better of them. There tend to be three main groups that commission adventurers to seek out and retrieve artefacts;

*Nobles and successful businessmen of the upper classes are only interested in relics and artefacts to use as display pieces and show off to their peers, though it can and has been a very cut-throat business.

*Scientists are only interested in items that look like devices, usually with the hopes of discovering a 'new' technology.

*Unsurprisingly the military is interested in anything that could be used as a weapon, though since the end of the War it has become a rather low priority.

Out of all the Darmonican nations it is really only the Iron Collective that is actively seeking out any and all artefacts that it can get it hands on, though the Coalition comes a close second.

The Remnants

The Ancient Terrans have been gone for over 1800 years and only left behind crumbing ruins right?

 Now this where things get a little murky.

There have been reports over the years from those who've been exploring larger ruins, such as the Monolith, of being 'stalked' by somebody or something. They speak also of shadows briefly glimpsed, of footsteps heard that cannot be accounted for and even attacks by unseen assailants armed with unknown but very advanced weapons. Whilst many would simply dismiss as Windryders or self styled 'prospectors' trying to scare people off, the accounts rather alarming match one another on all they key points.

Could there be some actual Ancient Terran Remnants lurking in the ruins of their fallen empire? Even after all these years?

Alyeskan Gazetteer: Prospector's Reach

Nestled in the north-western corner of the Alyeskan Outlands between the northern coast and the eastern boundary of the Chillwynd Marches is the town of Prospector's Reach.

It was bit of a poor reputation, it is cold grey virtually all year round and occasionally the whispering winds of the Marches blow in the town's direction. The townsfolk themselves are somewhat isolationists, surviving either as ice fishermen out on the frozen sea to the north or as wilderness hunters and fur trappers ranging to the south and east of town. None of the townsfolk dare venture into the Marches, those living on the western or 'Marchside' of town keep their west facing windows permanently shuttered. Lying only a scant few miles from the Marches people do occasionally vanish during the night in town as they do out on the frozen plain, locals dubbed this as 'being taken by the winds'.

Every month a new expedition to explore the Marches assembles in town, a new of businesses has sprung up to cater to these adventurers. Hotels, taverns, stores and workshops offer their services to those intending to set out west. In addition there is a sizeable mercenary population in town of guns-for-hire who offer themselves as guards both for expeditions and the trade caravans that cross the wilderness from the town of Purpleflint. Prospector's Reach does, like most settlements, has its own airstrip but the winds from the Marches and blizzards that blow in from off the frozen sea makes life difficult for aviators and so its not a favourite destination for pilots. Travellers typically arrive overland via the weekly trade caravans, though there are proposals to build a railway line out to the Reach but as of yet nothing as materialized.

Prospector's Reach is not a place that anyone actually wants to go to, most folk are usually planning on heading into the Marches in search of Ancient Terran artefacts that are rumoured to lie within the towering spire known as the Monolith. A lot of them return empty handed, some bring something that may prove to be of worth and the rest never return at all.

October Update

First post of October is a news/update one.

Yarr! Pirates!

Sort of bad news in a way to begin with, least it gets it out of the way first.

Everyone's aware of internet piracy, primarily from the media amongst other things. Most people are probably aware of dozens of RPG PDFs that are floating around on the web, an issue for anyone selling digital products. I've regularly done Google searches to see if any of mine turned up on sites other than DriveThru.

Couple of days ago I found the Frozen Skies Setting Primer on a file sharing site.

I put in a copyright infringement claim on the website and contacted DriveThru about it, quoting the buyer's name and order number in the PDF's watermark. As you can imagine I was more than a little annoyed about it, especially since I'm making a pretty low return on my products as it it compared to the time and money that went into producing them. Even more so considering that the Setting Primer is technically FREE through DriveThru unless you want to support the publisher, which is the beauty of Pay What You Want.

Tis the first and only incident I've encountered, so I'm not going to be making any changes now or in the future. I'll continue to do some PWYW products and other products that'll have a reasonable price, unless I find piracy a major problem for me (end of the day my RPG may end up being my only source of income). I get that some people will have virtually no money to spend on things other than bills, food, etc which will be a factor in how I price products, though I am happy to offer discounts for people on a case by case basis.

Now, onto lighter things!

Patreon

Those who follow the Facebook will/should already know that I've setup a Patreon with the view to help raise funds to get Frozen Skies completed. It'll be an ongoing thing and even if you just pledge a dollar a month it'll go a long way.

https://www.patreon.com/stormwell?ty=h

Moar Artwork!

And finally the latest bit of artwork for Frozen Skies, an expedition entering the Chillwynd Marches and the towering spire of the Monolith in the background.