Five More Cultclassic Films As Fodder For The Crimson Dragon Slayer Rpg

So today I've been thinking about the Crimson Dragon Slayer Rpg and reading through the pulpy pst apocalyptic goodness that is the CR  rpg system. And back to my glory days of working in the video rental store back in Nineteen Ninety something. Which five other fantasy film would I pull from to bring some weirdly odd nostalgia into the world of Thule. Now the thing about Thule is that its instant recognizable from the usual tropes of D&D but with a ton of awesomeness that gotten thrown into the mix. Your PC's are survivors from the 80's who have been transformed into POA survivors. But the game just begs for 80's weirdness to get tossed in to the deep end of this game system. So right off the top of my head here's what I came up with. 

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So when we're looking into Crimson Dragon Slayer the DM is walking a fine line between nostalgia and sheer high weirdness. The game does this balance very well and Thule really needs to get more of edge on treatment in how it handles itself. Reference Back To The Future is one thing but playing around with the usual tropes of the Eighties is another. For example using one of my favorite true fantasy films from the 1980's. The Never Ending Story has for some folks all of the charm and wit of the 80's fantasy films right at its center. The books are far,far better but that's alright we're more concerned here about the film. 

The Never Ending Story 1984 

So the basic outline in the Never Ending Story has a plot according to Wiki that goes something like this :
Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barret Oliver), a shy and friendless bibliophile child, hides in a bookstore, interrupting the grumpy bookseller, Mr. Coreander (Thomas Hill). Bastian asks about one of the books he sees, but Mr. Coreander advises against it; despite which, Bastian seizes the book, leaving a note promising to return it, and hides in the school's attic to read. The book describes the world of Fantasia threatened by a force called "The Nothing"; wherefore the Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach) who rules over Fantasia has fallen ill, and has summoned Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) to discover the cure. Atreyu is therefore given AURYN. As Atreyu sets out, the Nothing summons Gmork(voiced by Alan Oppenheimer), a werewolf, to kill Atreyu.
When we look at the dire force behind the world spanning affairs in Fantasia. That's really the DM's ticket here. You see the 'Nothing' wasn't exactly pulling out all of its forces right on Atreyu and the Child Empress, instead there were still dark forces that threatened that world. Enter the PC's to help mop up the left over horrors that still lurk on the edges of Fantasia and Thule. Plenty of opportunity to mix in the real world of The Never Ending Story with the high fantasy pop corner  of the film. 
Speaking of working around films and adventure opportunity, the film Time Bandits is another film whose loose ends can easily be exploited full for the DM to involve his PC's from the Crimson Dragon Slayer game. Did all those pieces of evil simply round themselves up and collect themselves into those rubbish bins by the Supreme Being? I don't think so. I think that the very clever and kindly looking Supreme Being whisks the adventurers away from Thule to help clean up the mess. There's also potential for dungeon exploitation by finding out if the weird head vile villain is really gone by exploring that massive castle at the center of the setting. 
Time Bandits 1981 

Erik The Viking 1983 
Plenty of opportunities here as well, the PC's get called in to help fill in some of the gaping plot holes and keep getting shafted by Erik and his crew of misfits. They still gain the treasure and experience but they keep getting shafted by the gods who use them as an adventuring clean up crew. 

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This sort of campaign can walk the line between comedic and adventure. The high weirdness factor of the film certainly fits in with CR's feel. And the none pc nature is in keeping with some of the material that one finds in game. Lots of famous and infamous bits and pieces of legend and mythology make their way in and out of this one.
This isn't a well known film which makes it perfect fodder for adventure creation. 

Big Trouble In Little China 1986 
Lots of potential here and this all begins and ends with two characters, one is Egg Shan and the other is the Oni Troll. There is a history between Lo Pan and Egg Shan stretching back quite a few years.  I get the impression that Jack Burton is only one in a very long line of heroes that the little sorcerer has used to battle the forces of Lo Pan over the years. 

Could the forces of Lo Pan have threatened other worlds in the past? Was he reduced in power since the glory day's of China's mythological period? I think so and in fact that I'd go so far as to say that Thule might be next and that the PC's are in for a very rough ride. And what about that underworld in BTILC? That place is perfect to bring in adventurers to face down the forces of darkness and shake the pillars of Heaven.

Here's another not so quick choice that comes to mind when we're talking about Crimson Dragon Slayer. Flash Gordon from 1980. Yeah, this might not seem like the obvious choice at first but Mongo has a ton to offer. Besides a killer soundtrack, the film has a great world to threaten Thule with. Lizardmen, Hawkmen diving from the skies, War Rocket Ajax, imperial Mongo kinkiness, and its an icon of the 1980's just waiting to be plundered!
Flash Gordon 1980 

Because its going to be the last thing that players are going to be expecting. Flash Gordon has a ton to offer. There is plenty of megadungeon its and lots of sci fi adventure just waiting to be added into the world of Thule and let's not mention that there are ton's of gadgets, NPC's, treasures, and more. 

Five Cultclassic Eighties Fantasy Films As Fodder For Crimson Dragon Slayer Campaigns

Well, Venger Satanis  released Crimson Dragon Slayers what seems like an eternity and it sits on my hard drive mocking me. But the pulpy and weird adventure apocalyptic world of 80's awesomeness called Thule is a bit of a conundrum for me. What sort of campaign is going to work for Thule when your 80's stereotype is transported to a world dripping with pulpy gobs of danger and adventure around every corner. What do you do? Well you turn to the awesome films of the 80's for help.Here are five possible candidates for adding a bit more weirdness and nostalgia echo to Thule. I chose five films that are not the usual sword and sorcery films that get slapped onto every list of Appendix N fodder.

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So right off the bat is one of the classic vampire flicks of all time. Lost Boys 1987  brings a ton of stuff to the table that can be mined to create some very interesting and compelling adventure fodder. Re skinning the locations, characters,etc. can turn this film into an instant campaign jump start.

The village of San Demingo has a problem with vampires and the PC's have stumbled upon this little corner of paradise. Well at least at least until sun set when the vampires come out like flying nuns. A series of caverns around the coastline hide a mega dungeon secret or two. Put the Lost Boys soundtrack and let your imagination run wild.

Vacation 1983

Look hear me out before you go dismissing this film right out of hand. Take the family from this classic comedy lock, stock and two smoking NPC's and add them right into the background of Thule. Then reskin the Los Angeles amusement park Walley World, billed as "America's Favorite Family Fun Park" as a megadungeon run by your favorite dementated monster or demon lord and your set ready to go. Add in traps and classic fantasy tropes as needed. For even more fun add in bits of barely recognizable Advanced Dungeons and Dragons cartoon bits as needed. 


Fun for the whole party awaits in this re skinned classic with classic adventure bits for the whole family.

Legend 1985 
The Fey have come to Thule for a little fun and to challenge a demon lord whose going to shut off the sun. Weirdness and demonic hi jinks await the party as the entire world is a frozen snow globe of goblins,elves, and fey awaiting the party of adventures. Or is it? Could all of this epic weirdness be happening inside some wizard's snow globe and all of this epicness being nothing more then a trick by a demon lord?

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There's enough milage in this film for at least three different campaigns for Crimson Dragon Slayers. And enough challenges, treasures, and boldness to mine this one for months of play.

     Beetlejuice 1988 

What happens when the dead of the 80's get miss placed into the background of Thule? Can they adapt to a world of fantasy awesomeness? Will they be able to escape the vast desert that surrounds their afterlife? Will the sand worms claim your adventurers or will they joined those living challenged NPC's? Are there answers to these questions in the megadungeons of the afterlife of the ghost with the most? Only your DM can answer these questions and how will things ever be the same again? 

Crank up the VCR and let your ideas flow and bleed into Thule changing and modifying this world of pulp adventure to suit your twisted needs.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit 1988 
Classic toons, toon town, weird characters, twisted NPC's and lots of fun is what this film has to offer. Adding in toons to Thule brings home the twisted strangeness of the location. And there's plenty of opportunity to have tongue planted firmly in cheek with this one. Add in random adventure locations as Toon town bleeds into Thule at random intervals. Maybe there's an H.P. Lovecraft's  Dreamland connection or some lost child has suddenly found themselves in Thule and brought a bit of Toon town with them.

Don't be too quick to dismiss this Eighties classic film of animated fun, there's lots of weirdness to mine as you realize that much of this film offers some truly interesting and unique NPC's if some of the background of Toon town is researched and explored. These films offer some really strange and interesting ideas to add into as solo or one shot adventures or unique encounters for Thule. 

Critters: Bounty Hunter - Fan Film

A very well produced fan film of one of my favorite 80's cult movies series . I really love the way that this was done, it retains the charm of the original Critters movies without ripping them off. A nicely done little homage to one of the best of the grade 'B' science fiction films that had some very awesome entertainment value in the video rental place I worked in Boston way back in the 90's. 

According to the Youtube entry: 

 Warner Bros. recently announced plans to revive "Critters" as a web series for their digital unit, Blue Ribbon Content. I've been a die-hard fan of the series since I was a kid and wanted to show that I would be the right director for the project. This short film is my pitch..

MAKING OF:

Critters Bounty Hunter was completed from start to finish in under two months with a small budget and an even smaller crew. All in, a total of six people worked on the movie: Myself, Kevin Stewart, Ricky Fosheim, Nick Soole, Troy Smith and Gina Luciani. We shot for two nights at a house in Mammoth Lakes, California. The Critter puppet was built by Troy Smith who worked with us on both ThanksKilling movies. Our crew handled everything from building the bounty hunter costume, learning the VFX required to pull off the glowing head, scoring, title cards, sound design, etc. We're proud of what we pulled off with limited resources and can't wait to share this with everyone. Turn up the volume and hit HD - We hope you enjoy our fun little take on Critters!

1d10 Deep Wasteland Finds Table Inspired By Cult 80's Classic Television Shows For Your Old School Post Apocalyptic Campaigns

The wastes are filled with incredible relics from many time periods across the universe and other places here are a list of some items that have come from a lost decade of depravity and awesomeness. 

1d10 Deep Wasteland Finds Table 

Inspired By Cult 80's Classic Television Shows

1. An incredibly deranged and malevolent A.I. with remote power source know as K.A.R.R.
   This thing will try to charm anyone into installing it into a vehicle. For 1d4 months it will serve a party and then turn on them in a fit of anger and bloodshed. 
2. A ruined 80's van with a black re enforced armored outer shell and chassis and a large V-8 motor. The GMC van has seen lots of action. It has a series of bullet holes and some carbon scoring on the back doors. Needs some work on the body and motor. 
3. Modified military attack helicopter with extensive sensor suite and complete military  modifications to the weapons systems.    The helicopter is in bad shape and has seen extensive use in combat. Riddled with bullet holes, damaged radio equipment, and the motor needs extensive repair. Most other major systems are intact however. 
4. Sports car with extensive military grade modifications and weapons systems. This vehicle isn't in bad shape but the weapons have no ammo. It has four flats on it. 
5. A Gold Cylon Centurian warrior in perfect condition any tampering with this unit will activate it! Has a fully charged power unit and laser rifle. +1 short sword as well. 
6. A strange floating robotic sphere armed with laser cannon and mini missiles. This horror will rise from its resting place ready to attack any who disturbs its sleep. 
7. Heavy duty colonial laser pistol out of charge but with holster and belt nearby. The holster has an adapter for a solar charger or the pistol can plug into a variety of outlets for charging. Holds 10 shots and does 1d6 points of damage. There are several notches on the butt of the pistol 
8. One silver cigar case with Cuban cigars and a .44 automatic bullet embedded on very edge of the case. Otherwise in perfect shape. 
9. One Geiger counter in box and working  stamped with the name McGyver in common on the side of the box. 
10. One .45 pistol fully loaded with a mix of regular and silver bullets in the magazine. The pistol is pearl handled and in excellent condition. There is a holster nearby with bullets but a mummified human hand holds the pistol with an odd jeweled ring on third finger. The pistol needs to be cleaned but is in otherwise working order.
    
     

1d10 Random Deep Wastes Post Apocalyptic Finds Table Inspired By Cult 80's Horror Films For Your Old School Post Apocalyptic Campaigns

Deep in the wastelands when the wind grows colder and there comes a chill to the air. Old and ancient things stir from long forgotten nightmare borne corners of the wastes. Places where God himself hasn't shown his face in eons, it is from the funk of the preholocaust horror filled nightmares of ages past. Artifacts and items wash into the cheese cloth reality of the wastes. Here are a few of those classic horror movie artifact finds to tease, curse, delight, and horrify your mutant adventurer PC's. 

1d10 Random Deep  Wastes Post Apocalyptic Finds 

Table Inspired By Cult 80's Horror Films 

1. Razor bladed demon possessed glove, this +1 weapon is a cursed item and has a miasma of depravity, terror, and perverse horror about it. The owner will be open to a special dream demon god that feeds upon the souls of children and his victim. 
2. A machete that belongs to a demon possessed hockey mask hill giant sized undead lich thing. The owner is of this +2 weapon is open to possession by a special demon. This weapon is cursed as well. The lich thing killer is drawn to its weapon and acts of teenage lust draw it to the kill. 
3. A Necomonicon in the original Sanskrit and Babylonian with illustrations drawn in blood will call down an evil essence of the Outer Void god in charge of a demon possessed undead army. 1d8 Deadite zombies and skeleton warriors will be created when passages of this book are read allow.
4. A toxic waste drum with a horridly decayed form of zombie inside. If freed this horror will go on a rampage eating the brains of anyone it catches. Any destruction of this monster will spread the infection within a 1d10 yard radius. 
5. A gray metal stone one foot rock, this egg like object will hatch releasing 1d6 intergalactic invasive alien species known as Crites.  
6. A beautiful  ornate music puzzle box that if solved releases 1d6 demon like creatures with all the minor powers of demons known as cenobites. These horrors will take back the solver and 1d4 people present back to their version of Hell for rites of pleasure which will reduce the victim to a flayed and shattered form of special wight. 
7. A small chest containing 1d4 pounds of gold, this gold is cursed and guarded by a twisted evil undead leprechaun. This thing will stalk and kill anyone whose seen its gold. 
8. Small soap stone statue of some long forgotten Great Old One. This thing radiates evil and anyone touching it must make a save vs death or have their soul consumed by the horror of the  ancient god thing. There is a 20% chance of summoning the thing merely by handling it. 
9. A black toxic waste barrel with a strange window cut into the top. The barrel contains a dwarf like undead zombie dwarf creature  which has Hill Giant strength and it will try to kill anyone opening the barrel's lid. There is a 10% chance of the undead lich god being  being summoned by the opening of this barrel and the releasing of its contents. 
11. A humanoid wolf statue of black stone and strange aspect. The owner of this statue will be afflicted my an extreme form of lycanthropy and cursed as a werewolf in the service to the werewolf demon lord's service for eternity. They shall be doomed to wander the face of the Earth for eternity service in the service to the cycles of a broken moon.