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Chaosium Digest Volume 32 Number 09
Chaosium Digest Volume 32, Number 9
Date: Thursday November 16, 2000
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
* Random events in Pendragon Combat (PENDRAGON)
by Myles Corcoran myles@irls3101.ck.cit.alcatel.fr
Editor's Note:
We have a winner!
Mervyn Boyd's "The Books of Uncle Silas" has been chosen as the winner of the
second quarter 2000, Chaosium Submission Contest. Due to the delay in announcing
a winner, Chaosium has graciously decided to award Mr. Boyd both the new
Keeper's Compendium and Keeper's Screen. It has also been decided that the
Chaosium Contest will continue! The next contest deadline is January 1, 2001 and
the prize is $40 credit with Chaosium so that the winner may pick his/her own
prize. Just a reminder, the Chaosium Contest is for submissions dealing with the
Call of Cthulhu, Elric! and/or Nephilim game lines published by Chaosium.
Submissions dealing with Pendragon, Delta Green, Glorantha, Cthulhu Live, etc.
do not qualify for the contest though I will gladly continue to accept such
submissions. So keep those submissions coming!
This time, Myles Corcoran provides us some optional game mechanics to spice up
Pendragon combats.
Enjoy!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* From Pagan Publishing
Pagan Publishing is seeking a webmaster for its site
http://www.delta-green.com/. Normal duties amount to a single monthly update,
consisting of HTML-izing fan-submitted materials to join the
substantial quantity of content already online and whatever creative projects
the webmaster feels inspired to pursue. This pays $50/month, paid quarterly. You
also get an email address @delta-green.com.
Candidates need basic HTML and design skills. The site is done in good old HTML,
rather than ASP or any other database flummery.
Our previous webmaster leveraged his extensive work on the DG site into a
professional career in web production. His success could be yours! Or at least
you could have some fun.
Graphic-design overhauls and similarly ambitious projects are welcome, but are
not part of the job. Still, if it'll help your resume we're happy to accommodate
you.
To apply, send email to John Tynes, rev@tccorp.com. Include your name and full
contact info, skills & experience, and URLs to web pages you've created or
administered. References are welcome.
Familiarity with Pagan's Delta Green role-playing game products is required.
<- John Tynes - rev@tccorp.com - http://www.JohnTynes.com/ ->
Our fate is told in the stars themselves. Our lives have
no meaning, our world has no hope. Nothing lies before us
but death and coleopterans.
* From Chaosium
RUMORS & NEWS
A 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
We will release a special 20th Anniversary Edition of Call of Cthulhu in
March-April 2001. It features a much-heavier paper stock, leatherette cover, and
a new layout evocative of an old tome. This will be a limited edition,
individually numbered, and will not be reprinted. This will be THE edition that
you will want to play with, to show off, and to have on your bookshelf. We're
not sure of the retail price yet, we're still finalizing some details of the
design, but it will probably be in the $70.00 range ( we're trying to find out
the cost of embossing the whole cover, and a couple of other flourishes).
CALL OF CTHULHU COMPUTER GAME
Some of you know that there has been a Call of Cthulhu computer game in the
works, currently titled "Dark Corners of the Earth." Previews and information
can be found at the following sites, among others:
http://www.game-forge.com/interviews/darkcorners.html
http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/zones/previews/may00/cthulhu.html
Well, the great news is that a publisher just signed the contract, and the
project is funded. This means that this game will see light in time for
Christmas next year. We think that the designers will do a great job. You should
see some of the demos we've seen.
A D20 Edition
Some time ago Wizards of the Coast approached us about the possibility of
releasing a special d20 edition of the Call of Cthulhu rulebook. We considered
their offer, and have agreed, with some conditions.
This is a one-book deal. WOTC will not publish supplements for this book--we
wanted to retain those rights. We felt that this is a great way of approaching a
huge portion of the role-playing market, using
the distribution power of WOTC/Hasbro. We also wanted a minimum retail price,
since it would do us no good for them to seriously undercut our game.
Chaosium will of course continue supporting our own Basic Role Playing (BRP)
Call of Cthulhu as well!
**Just Released**
>CALL OF CTHULHU KEEPER'S COMPANION
Blasphemous Knowledge, Forbidden Secrets, and Handy Information for Call of
Cthulhu Role-playing.
CHA 2388 $23.95 (1-56882-144-1) 208 pp.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2388.shtml
The Call of Cthulhu Keeper's Companion is an invaluable resource for GM's. New
material includes advice for new keepers, a lengthy study of Mythos artifacts, a
learned discussion of many occult books, an up-to-the-moment description of
every facet of forensic medicine, a thorough revision and expansion of the game
skills (including nearly two dozen new ones), and the augmented text of the
Keeper's Compendium, somewhat updated--forbidden books, secret cults, alien
races, and mysterious places. Additional short essays and features round out
this book-more than 100,000 words! The best-selling Keeper's Compendium appeared
in 1993, but has been out of print for more than two years.
**Upcoming Releases**
December 2000
1920's Investigators Companion (reprint)
#2370, $20.95 ISBN 1-56882-106-9
The 1920's Investigators Companion is split into four sections. THE ROARING
TWENTIES details life in the 1920's, from a general historical overview to
listings of favorite songs, books, and films of the era. ON BECOMING AN
INVESTIGATOR outline the trials of becoming an investigator, offers 140
different occupations, and annotates the use of skills in the 1920's. THE TOOLS
OF THE TRADE lists resources investigators may use for research, describes
various forms of transport and transportation, and also catalogs other equipment
and guns. WORDS OF WISDOM brings the book to a conclusion
by offering advise to the intrepid investigator. Everything the 1920's
investigator needs in one place!
January 2001
>Unseen Masters
Modern COC adventures against hidden powers
2384, $23.95 ISBN 1-56882-120-4 208pp
by Bruce Ballon
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2384.shtml
Three mini-campaigns set in modern New York City lead investigators through
serial murder investigations, madness, and into an ancient conflict between
bitter rivals. Along the way investigators will be aided by Mysterious allies,
face [the] Cult of the Sacred Light and the Black Brotherhood, and confront
immortal horrors beyond time and space. These three scenarios can be combined to
form a NY City campaign.
January 2001:
>Reprint of the Call of Cthulhu Hardcover (5.6)
This book has been doing so well, we're having to reprint it a second time this
year. It sure is good to know there are thousands and thousands of Call of
Cthulhu players out there. Thanks for the support!
An early 2001 Release
A New World for the d20 System
Worlds of the Eternal Champion:
Dragon Lords of Melnibone
CHA #2017
$23.95
ISBN 1-56882-150-6
208 pages, illustrated.
For ten thousand years the bright empire of Melnibone ruled the world. Her
soldiers were ruthless, unspeakably cruel, and well-skilled at arms. Powerful
sorcerers, magic comes easily to them, as easy as breathing. They forged eternal
bonds with the aloof gods of Law and Chaos, with the hideous demons from other
planes, with elemental lords that are of the world itself, and with the ancient
dragons that Melnibone used to enforce her might.
But wealth and age has dulled the Bright Empire, tarnished it beauty, and
weakened its people. The empire rots from within. And outside, young kingdoms
arise on the lands Melnibone's sons and daughters carved from the stuff of chaos
that lies at the edge of the world. They are petty, and envious of the ancient
wealth of their former masters.
A pirate navy is forming, to sail against the Dreaming City of Imrryr. Its
captains hope to recapture stolen riches and to bring a hated overlord to ruin.
DRAGON LORDS OF MELNIBONE provides a heroic setting for your d20 System game in
a complete and detailed role-playing world developed by Chaosium Inc. and based
upon the fabulous stories written by Michael Moorcock.
The island of Melnibone and the world of the Young Kingdoms wage their eternal
battle in a fully developed and extensive storyline. Ancient magic abounds.
Sorcerous swords whisper of forgotten
treasure. Spirits and demons plague the living. . .
. . and a new albino emperor has taken the Ruby Throne, promising to restore
the terrible heritage of Melnibone and bring the young upstarts to heel.
Other 2000 BOOKS
We have plenty of books lined up for 2000 of course. But I'm limiting myself to
only talking about the next 90 days here. We'll print more books as fast as we
can!
--------------------------
Random events in Pendragon Combat
by Myles Corcoran
I have played Pendragon for many years, and while generally happy with the
mechanics of the game I have, of course, fiddled with the rules here and there.
One thing that regularly causes problems in play
is the nature of Pendragon combat. Heavily armoured knights smash, slash and
hammer away at one another, hoping to penetrate their opponent's heavy armour,
waiting for a lucky critical strike that deals, more often than not, a killing
or disabling blow. This may be accurate for representing battles between
armoured knights but is too all or nothing for my tastes.
In our gaming group, we have tried a number of things in our Pendragon games to
address this. Currently we use a flat 1.5 times damage for criticals rather than
the double damage suggested by the rules, and a shield breaking rule as follows:
when rolling damage roll one die of a different colour from the rest. If it
comes up a '6' the opponent's shield is broken and useless. With more fragile
shields, more of the ordinary (non-critical) blows can cause damage, and we get
a larger spread of wounds, not just the minor 1 or 2 points, and huge wounds
resulting from criticals.
To add more colour to the combats the shield breaking rule can be extended to
encompass a variety of outcomes and events in combat. For example, instead of
assuming that every critical does double (or 1.5 times) damage, consult the
special die to find the critical effect below:
1d6 Critical
1 Roll double damage
2 Damage opponent's armour, -1d6 AP
3 Trip opponent (he falls)
4 Break opponent's weapon
5 Roll 1 1/2 times damage
6 Disarm opponent (-5/+5 mod to retrieve)
Something similar could be used for fumbles too:
1d6
1 Drop weapon or shield
2 Break strap, -1d6 AP
3 Wound self, 1d6 damage
4 Break weapon
5 Drop weapon (-5/+5 mod to retrieve)
6 Fall over and drop
weapon (two rounds -5/+5, or one round -10/+10 mod)
The differently coloured die will be rolled every time you roll damage and so
will not really add extra die rolling to the combat resolution. For a fumble the
die would have to be rolled separately, which might be unnecessarily complicated
for some people. Just stick to the default fumble (dropped weapon if sword,
broken weapon if non-sword) in this case. If the idea of a table is too much,
just apply two possible results for each case for a even or odd outcome.
E.g. Sir Geraint rolls a critical result in combat with his sword and rolls
3,4,4,5,5 on the damage roll, the special die coming up a 3. Consulting the
table, we find his clever stroke trips his opponent.
Alternatively, for a rule: odds=double damage, evens=knockdown opponent, Geraint
drives an impaling blow into his opponent's thigh for damage of 21 * 2 = 42.
Ouchies!
Note that if you use both the shield breaking rule (as now canon from Saxons!, I
believe) and the special die for criticals, you can either have two dice in the
damage roll uniquely identified, one for shield breaking, the other for
crit/fumble results, or have just the one die, and ignore shield breaking on
crits and fumbles.
Tweak to taste.
--
