Hartford Betamax Black Book Edition Stars Without Number Campaign Influence - Saturn 3 1980 Movie

 

Introduction  

Saturn Three should have been a big hit. The movie had the biggest name in boy's walls back in the 70's, awesome special effects, and a solid cast. According to Wiki:

'John Barry conceived the project as a much more lavish vision of the future. The film's producers, Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment, intended the production to cash in on the sudden vogue for science fiction and horror following the success of Alien.

Farrah Fawcett was also hoped to be a major draw for a teenage male audience and much of the film's promotion was based around the revealing space suits she was due to wear in the film. Donen played down the exploitation elements resulting in a film that the producers struggled to market'
 The film is mostly forgotten and dismissed. 

It was also one of the first films that I saw on Beta Max 

The plot According To Wki : 

In the distant future, an overcrowded Earth relies on research conducted by scientists in remote stations across the solar system. One of these, a small experimentalhydroponics research station on Saturn's third moon, is run solely by Adam (Douglas) and his colleague and lover Alex (Fawcett). Adam, the younger Alex and their dog Sally enjoy their isolation, far from an overcrowded and troubled Earth. The couple have been on Saturn 3 for three years, but Alex has spent all her life in space.

Alex and Adam's idyll is broken by the arrival of Captain Benson (Keitel), who has been sent to Saturn 3 as part of a project to replace at least one of the moon's scientists with a robot. Benson assembles the robot and names him Hector. One of the first of its kind, a "Demigod Series", Hector relies on "pure brain tissue" extracted from human fetuses and programmed using a direct link to Benson's brain. Benson states that it will render one of the crew "obsolete", most likely Major Adam who tells his partner that he is close to "abort time" according to the government on Earth.

Unknown to both Alex and Adam, Benson is a homicidal sociopath who murdered the Captain originally assigned to Saturn 3 and took his place on the mission. Benson had actually failed a crucial test of psychological stability.

As Benson uses the link to his brain to program the robot, Hector acquires Benson's homicidal nature and his lust for Alex. Hector initially kills Sally the dog and then assaults Benson, since it has learned about him being a murderer during the reprogramming process. Adam and Alex manage to disable the robot while it is recharging.

Believing the danger over, Adam accuses Benson of gross incompetence and orders him to dismantle the robot and return to Earth when an eclipse ends. Benson obliges, but Hector is soon reassembled by the base's older robots. Resuscitated, Hector murders Benson while he is dragging Alex to his ship. Hector then blows up Benson's spacecraft before Adam and Alex can escape in it, trapping them all on Saturn 3 together.

Overpowering the humans, Hector installs a brain link at the base of Adam's spine which will give the robot direct access to Adam's brain. Before Hector can make the connection, Adam destroys it, sacrificing himself by detonating explosives hidden on his person.

In the final scene Alex, now alone, is shown aboard an Earth-bound spacecraft.

'The Demi God Series Were Always a Bit Twitchy' 

Hector Demi God Series 

The Demi God series are used in a wide variety of roles from internal security to full colony applications. Each of these powerful robotic humanoids stands eight foot tall and has a full range of human movement and skills. They have full range of sensors and skills. They are uniquely programmed through a neural skill interface or 'apprentice program' with a human host.

These beings use a complete range of emotions and skills through a beta bio drive system. They are accurate enough to be employed in fields ranging from medicine to full combat and security duties. 

Standing at eight foot tall they are incredible machines able to take years of punishment while working in the depths of space and on planetary surfaces.

Number Appearing: 1d4

Armor class:4 

Hit Dice: 2(10HP)

 Attack Bonus :+1 

Damage: 1d8 pincers 

Saving Throw 15+

Movement :30' 

Morale :12 

Skill bonus: +2 due to the unique spinal cybernetic uplink 

Using Saturn 3 As OSR Game Fodder 

Saturn Three offers a rather unique view of another corporation controlled future that is relatively unknown these days. The look and feel of the film is very reminisce of Outland and Aliens as well as the grand old Roller Ball original. 

The look and feel of the movie fits with the ideas that I laid down with the first of the series of articles for this campaign right HERE

The 'look' of the film's production fits with the timeline that I'm working on and the rather unique 'dungeon in space' of Saturn Three is interesting and engaging. 

I'll be keeping that look and 'Hector' and losing some of the other elements such as Alex and the rest. 

OSR Commentary On Chaosium's 'Terror From The Stars' Early '86 Call of Cthlhu adventure by Scott Aniolowski (Author)

"The Pits of Bendal-Dolum: The investigators travel to tiny British Honduras in search of a lost archaeological expedition, but find evil beyond their worst nightmares."



"The Temple of the Moon: adventure and intrigue in Peru. An investigator receives a gold artifact through the mails from Peru, pitting him and his friends against a ring of international art thieves and perhaps against more sinister foes."

When it comes to adapting older modules there's nothing like the early Call of Cthulhu rpg. Thumbing through White Dwarf (Issue 79 - Jul 1986) we came across an early review of Terror From The Stars. Terror From The Stars is one of the  Scott Aniolowski (Author) efforts. And its a great module to adapt to an OSR Modern  or Sword & Sorcery campaign. Especially "The Field Manual of the Theron Marks Society: the Theron Marks Sociaty is an underground group of organized Cthulhu investigators. This manual explains all the investigative techniques and tricks theu have learned. The Theron Marks Manual is designed to be fit into any campaign" 

The early scenarios could easily be adapted into a modern OSR campaign using two different sources. Realms of Crawling Chaos has all of the stats for these monsters already within them or if you really want to go old school then Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first editons  Dieties & Demigods manual. 

'Terror From The Stars' is really a polarizing module because its more like a CoC  module kit then an actual module unto itself. Phil Frances in   White Dwarf (Issue 79 - Jul 1986) pretty much nails it; "Phil Frances reviewed Terror from the Stars for White Dwarf #79, and stated that "Terror From The Stars stands up well against other releases of its type (The Asylum, or Curse of the Chthonians for example), and the added advantage of a lower price means you can't really go wrong with this one.""

But some of the interesting bits of Lisa Cohen's review from  Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer No. 77. give away a major adventure plot point;"

Cohen commented that "The whole package is ideal, expecially with the manual it makes it well worth the price. I would recommend this module to avid Cthulhu players. Remember, when playing the scenarios, have a happy voyage and don't drink the water!"" Thanks very much Lisa. But the real gem for me as a dungeon master is the inclusion of The Field Manual of the Theron Marks Society. The idea of a group of investigators or adventurers who are 'fighting' the mythos isn't new but one with a very detailed background & history is in '86. 

This is very much in keeping with some of the themes that have recently cropped up in Dark Albion's Cults of Chaos. The society with a detailed build up,history, background, & shared universe of historical  fictional detail. 

'Terror From The Stars' is a relic of its times & one that fits within the early patheon of Chaosium adventures. The mythos elements make it easily reverse dungeon engineered into even modorn OSR game. 

What really makes this adventure stick is the thread of mysterious temples in South America & its lead in across the adventures. All in all its a good adventure book but it could have used a bit more Lovecraftian padding. But Terror from the Stars is a good example of the tool box approach of early  Call of Cthulhu  adventueres for now keep em rolling. 

Rshaeic-logh A Krell Out Post - A Location Encounter For Any Space Opera

 

"In times long past, this planet was the home of a mighty, noble race of beings who called themselves the Krell. Ethically and technologically they were a million years ahead of humankind, for in unlocking the meaning of nature they had conquered even their baser selves, and when in the course of eons they had abolished sickness and insanity, crime and all injustice, they turned, still in high benevolence, upwards towards space. Then, having reached the heights, this all-but-divine race disappeared in a single night, and nothing was preserved above ground"

Dr. Edward Morbius

Rshaeic-logh circles a medium blue green star at a very minor star vector off of the usaual busy trade routes. This once beautiful world sits surrounded by a corna of crackling lightning. Unknown & sleeping now. 

           This was once an outpost of the mighty Krell. 2.5 billion years ago the Krell were locked in a mighty war with the Elder Things of  Hamaogglo-tho. The war dragged on for centuries until the Elder Things unleashed the Shoggoths upon the Krell. 
Within seven days the war was over but something went very wrong. The installations still sit waiting & guarding their secrets to this day. 

Rshaeic-logh is world protected by a corona of electrically charged gases. Each time a space craft penetrates the atmosphere there will be a 1d4 damage lightning strike that will play merry havoc with any electronics hit by it unless a save is rolled. 

The outpost's buildings & such still sit in brand new condition even though they are a billion years gone. They have been created with natural diamond shaped by Krell technology. They stand for another billion years without issue.
 Those who stay on the planet for more the 1d4 hours may be subject to horrifying vistas of reality that may appear on the horizon of the planet only to vanish hours, moments, & seconds later. Those who see these sights must roll save vs death or be struck dumb with the cosmic horror of it all for 1d4 hours. 

These are the after effects of the reality shattering weapons employed by the Elder Things. Most major Krell cities were turned to  dust in a matter of moments. Only the out post weathers all of the major horrors. Krell mechanisms tuning, turning, cleaning, etc. the shaggoths allow this to happen. Why is unknown. 

The Krell weapons still lay in the deep sands of the planet waiting for the shaggoths to blunder into them. The mechanisms form themselves from nano particles & create 1d20 hit point plasticoid temporary creatures. These monsters will attack the shaggoths & destroy them utterly only to return to sands from which they came. 

Scattered through the various debris fields left by the major battles are relics & minor treasures to be had. 

Minor Krell Treasure Table 1d10 

1. Mono metal item or sheet of metal that reassembles itself in 1d4 rounds 
2. Krell Time piece metal disk hovers & follows the user giving the local space time & others in various alien languages 
3. Flat 2d personal computer 12 inches wide & long. .001 inch thick. Also resembles itself in 2 rounds.Alien language  
4. Nuclear powered rod or writing device will write on any metal 
5. Metal plate books of the Krell. Still readable but very alien with some disturbing revelations 
6. Psychic metal object with the terror & memories of the destroyed Krell. Roll save versus insanity 
7. Symbols of the Krell - The nearest thing to a religious text the Krell had relating to time & space. Alien 
8. Pink Jelly Like Battery - Must be stretched & shaped to generate a charge. Enough to power a house. 
9. Mental enhancer -A coin sized object that holds the last memories of the terrified being. May be used as a weapon doing 1d4 points of telekinesis damage! 
10. A record of Krell music. Very strange stuff but will increase intelligence score by +1 if the player can be found. 

The outpost itself holds 72 levels down into the solid bedrock of the planet & holds its secrets well.
The mega dungeon like structure holds animal pens, labs, & much more.

At the core of the installation is a blob of non time suspended between three mini white holes. The stuff is stable enough for containment within magnetic bottles but terrifying to the fool who spills it! The distilled time is a key ingredient within the time drives of the Krell. 

1d6 Ill Effects Table of  Distilled Time 

1. Age prematurely 1d20 years -2 to all stats 
2. Everything around you decays 1d20 years accept you. Your thrown 1d3 days into the future 
3. Your character has a pin prick sized hole of time within them. They will begin to act as minor black hole within 1d10 rounds. 
4. Your erased from history along with all all of your alternative selves 
5. Your caught in a space time warp & moved back to the time of the Krell become an experimental animal 
6. Your Pc evolves to his next evolutionary stage & leaves the party far behind to take his place on the cosmic ladder. Roll another PC 

Well field 

Deep within a desert field is a 40 mile square patch of soil with control panels every 40 yards & capped by a strange looking well like structure. These shafts have been sunk 20 miles into the surface of the planet. Here the Flying Polyps await release from their slumber after being trapped by the ancient Krell! They will attack anyone after 1d4 days!

The artifacts of this planet are without question priceless but so is the horror of unleashing some of the things that sleep here. 

More OSR Sword & Sorcery Commentary As We Enter The World of 'Manos der Dämonenjäger" For Your Old School Campaigns Part III

So let's pick it right at part three of this series of articles about the second Golden age of Sword & Sorcery comic books especially "Manos der Dämonenjäger" or  in English as "Manos the Demon Hunters". It is still remembered as one of the most enduring comic book Sword & Sorcery comic book titles today. It has a small but devoted international fan base and this largely due to the solid writing of Peter Mennigen. 

 
Ghosts Stories #63
14-Page-Manos Comic: "in the ambush of the demons".
Artwork: Esteban Maroto.

Mr. Mennigen is a veteran writer with many years of titles under his belt including, "Ghost Stories", "Haunted Stories", "Conny", "Biggi", "Vanessa", "Felix", "Lasso", "Phantom", " Axel F. " As well as many Bastei publishing house titles . He is stirring the Steampunk world  with Ingo Römling on the Steampunk series " Malcolm Max " which has a very nice spin on the Mystery Gerne. If you get the time I highly suggest checking it out.
Now let's dive right into the world of "Manos the Demon Hunters" because the titles setting is one of the things that still to this day sticks with me. This isn't your average Sword & Sorcery style adventure world. The supernatural is very active, dangerous, & quite horrid with humanity at a clear disadvantage.
Ghosts Stories #62
14-Page-Manos Comic: "the witch with the snake head".
Artwork: Esteban Maroto.

This is a world that clearly not only needs the main character's deeds but those of his family this is where some of the central plot of the series lay. The hero's struggles are personal, clearly defined and quite devastating to the core characters of the book. Wizards & villains are powers going about the machinations of the structure of the world. This type of plot structure is firmly grounded in the operatic nature of the books. This was something quite extraordinary for the time. Remember this is the Eighties when Marvel & DC were trotting out titles like Secret Wars & Sword of Conan basically had Conan wandering across the face of his world. Manos had family, plot, and structure all within the bounds of his title. There was a consistency and accuracy to the world. The wizards were dangerous and quite done in the classic mold, the demons vile monsters of the darkness, and the evil was done in a way that twists things to the overall writing. But things were starting to go in a different route in 1983. This was reflected in Peter Mennigen's writing & the artistic tone of the Manos series. He talks about it here :

Visually, „Manos“ did not have to hide. His adventures in the series „Geister Geschichten“ and „Manos der Dämonenjäger“ were drawn by the Who is Who of the Spanish Top artists:

Esteban Maroto

Before the publshing of „Geister Geschichten“, during the conceptual phase of the „Manos“ comic, the question arose of a suitable artist. When the editor-in-chief Werner Geismar asked me if I had a certain artist for the artwork in mind, I reached for the stars and named none other than one of the greatest fantasy artists ever: „Esteban Maroto“.

In response, I expected something like: Wonderful, but impossible.

But he left my suggestion uncommented. About two years later he called me one day and said, „We got him.“

Esteban Maroto drew three of my Manos scripts, which appeared in the „Geister Geschichten“ #61, #62, and #63.

Antonio Correa Expósito

Undoubtedly, Esteban Maroto was the undisputed star artists of the „Manos“ series. But the Spaniard Antonio Correa Expósito, who was born in 1940, draw the most „Manos“ stories. He signed them with „Correa“. As for the quality, his style was very similar to Esteban Maroto's. This is not surprising, after all, Correa had learned his craft as a comic artist in Esteban Maroto's studio.

Antonio Correa Expósito passed away in 2003.

Carlos Torrente

In the 1980s, the Spanish artist drew numerous comics for various Bastei series. Internationally, his work has been published in comics magazines such as „As“ or „Metal Hurlant“. Later, he concentrated more and more on illustrations for the press.

Luis Martinez Roca

Born in Barcelona in 1940, he was one of the first Spaniards to work for the American publishing house of James Warren, where he draw „Vampirella“. He died in 1998 in his hometown of Barcelona.

José Maria Bellalta Suárez

Suárez was born in 1941 in Barcelona. In the 1970s he founded the „Spanish Artist Studio“. For Bastei, he also drew the series „Arsat der Magier von Venedig“ („Arsat the Magician of Venice“) alongside of „Manos“.

DeMetrio Gómez Sánchez

Born in 1944 in Pilar de la Horadada, the Spaniard became an artist of Western-, Horror- and Romantic comics. In the USA he worked for the publishing house „Charlton Comics“. For Bastei he drew many „Gespenster Geschichten“ and „Manos“.

Ertugrul Edirne

Edirne was born in Istanbul in 1954 and lives in Cologne (Germany) since 1981. On behalf of the Bastei publishing house, he created numerous cover pictures for series such as

„Bessy“, „Lasso“, „Silberpfeil“, „Manos“ and more. He later worked as an illustrator for the Heyne -, the Ravensburger - and the Norbert Hethke publishing houses.

Ugurcan Yüce

The artist, who was born in Istanbul in 1947 and became famous for his cover art. After graduating on an art school in painting and sculpture, Yüce moved to Germany in 1980, where he produced numerous cover pictures for the Bastei publishing house. Among other comic series he illustrated covers for „Geister Geschichten“ and „Manos der Dämonenjäger“. Later, he designed various covers for computer games. Ugurcan Yüce died in February 2015 in Stuttgart, Germany.

These artists helped to shape the look,visual style, & the feel of the world of 'Manos the Demon Hunters'. In many ways the artists helped to define on the whole not only the setting but the entire nature of Peter Mennigen's writing.

These artistic changes helped to grab young audience members such as myself & those glorious wrap around covers helped to launch the book over the top into another category. The covers by Esteban Maroto were incredible with  colors that  were lush, lurid, and lusty with Sword & Sorcery goodness.  They remind me of many of the best of Dungeon Crawl Classic's best covers on some of their game adventures.


Ghosts Stories #61
14-Page-Manos Comic: "the trap in the hells".
Artwork: Esteban Maroto.

"Manos The Demon Hunters" was a product of both the times & its author's imagination that had the operatic quality to it that my adopted uncle was looking for. It wasn't quite as rough & ready as Heavy Metal was for the time so it was safer for us kids to read. But it reflected what was happening at the table top during this time as we braved many of the dangers of the 'gods' from  Der Ring des Nibelungen WWV 86 cycle of adventures.

Artwork: DeMetrio Gómez Sánchez

Overall there's an almost old school  campaign setting consistency to the world of  "Manos The Demon Hunters" that echoes in its storytelling something of the time of Eighties Sword & Sorcery pulpy goodness. There was hardly an issue in the run that disappointed me but the times were changing & so were the tastes in Sword & Sorcery fantasy. These were reflected in many later issues and as we shall see they echoed at the Dungeons & Dragons table top as well.




Artwork: Antonio Correa Expósito

OSR Sword & Sorcery Commentary As We Enter The World of 'Manos der Dämonenjäger" For Your Old School Campaigns Part II

As I covered in my first part of this series of articles, the Eighties were the second golden age of Sword & Sorcery adventure fiction. Coming in hot to usher in this age of decadence and magick was the  Conan The Barbarian film released 1982 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I can't tell you the impact this movie had on people across the world. For small town Eric it was a huge deal & it colored my views for decades to come. This was a defining film for a generation in a way & devoured each & everything Sword & Sorcery related. I snuck into a rated 'R' showing with friends way back when.

Savage Sword of Conan magazine was going strong but it wasn't enough for a restless slightly hyperactive  kid with a passion for Dungeons & Dragons, Sword & Sorcery comic books, & that more edgy European stuff. My adoptive uncle was there to feed the flames of youth.  I got more then my share of a wider audience of  comic books from aboard. A year after Conan hit the theaters,another thinking man's  barbarian prince had hit the comic book stands in Germany. Europe had always had a different take on the Sword & Sorcery market and in post war Germany the thirst for literature of the escapist variety was very high. Manos The Demon Slayer was the perfect vehicle for it. Whist I worked on my German to read the issues. Half a world away in Germany veteran comic book writer Peter Mennigen was churning out stories of foul sorcery, deeds of daring, and a thinking barbarian warrior who used his brains and courage far more often then he used his sword arm.



These were a different breed of comic book hero carving their way across the news stands and specialty comic book shops of the Eighties. I learned quick from 'Manos der Dämonenjäger' how the pacing of an adventure was put together, where and when to apply over the top monster encounters, how to develop quick sweeping back stories for PC's, & most of all how to wrap a Sword & Sorcery campaign in the European style. Meanwhile back in Germany Peter Mennigen was creating more danger and horror for our heroes. But I'll let him tell it. 

"Manos der Dämonenjäger – Teil 2

Oder: Gezeitenwandel, Neubeginn und Ende

Manos the Demon Hunters - Part 2

Or: Changing times, new beginning and the end

In August 1983, Bastei took the next step: „Manos“ got its own magazine. The target group of readers was no longer the „usual“ Bastei reader. Rather, they tried to get a new readership among the fantasy fans who had not shown any interest in the series so far.

Instead of „Geister Geschichten“ appeared now in great letters the title „Manos der Dämonenjäger“ („Manos the demon hunter“) on the front cover. Each issue was given an impressive wrap-around cover. They were great fantasy works of art, painted by Ertugrul Edirne and Ugurcan Yüce. Both artists were already responsible for the covers of the „Geister Geschichten“, which looked - because of to the small layout - relatively unspectacular.

The „Manos“ comic was expanded from 14 to 22 pages. The two additional stories were deleted. The comic was supplemented by one pagern who, in pure text form with a great illustration, illuminated the mythology of the „Manos age“. The middle section of the comic book contained a poster of a great fantasy artist such as Vincente Segrelles, Esteban Maroto, Rowena, Boris Vallejo or Luis Royo.

For the new magazine Werner Geismar worked out the plots of the first five „Manos“ stories. I wrote them as detailed exposés and after getting the okay from the editors I wrote them as scripts. All following stories I wrote completely on my own again.

The stories in the old series „Geister Geschichten“ had mostly been completed in every issue. „Manos“ now had story arcs extended over several issues. Obviously the life of the protagonist was subject to many changes, which often led him to gloomy lands.

In one storyline, Manos’ sister Parda married a demon ruler. If Manos had expected to get the benevolence of his sister when he killed her demonic husband, he had miscalculated. Parda refused him any help and developed instead to his deadly enemy. A happy ending may look different.

Towards the middle of the eighties, the gloom of the worldwide fantasy boom slowed down. What was also reflected in the decreasing sales of the „Manos“ comic book. At some point, the series does not pay off anymore and was canceled after 35 issues in December 1984. "

The Eighties were a very weird transitional time period for comic books. There the numerous American, European, & Italian Sword & Sorcery knockoff films ( which I happen to love)  not to mention the shake ups happening in original Dungeons & Dragons, B/X D&D, and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first edition


These comic books had plots & subplots which were a bit more involved and had far more back story then some of the mainstream Marvel ones of the time but DC was starting to go that same style of route. The Manos the demon hunter issues were consistent & much less adult then the issues of Heavy Metal & The Savage Sword of Conan making them easy fodder for the younger players in my Uncle's game to devour. We played through our Der Ring des Nibelungen WWV 86 cycle but these comics seemed to compliment the action. Plus we were learning a different language. It wasn't until years later that I finally got into the same comic book stories  with those outrageously gonzo wrap around covers! The wrap around cover  pages are a thing of lurid pulpastic things of beauty! Simply bask in them.


There was a lot that I learned from reading these these comics from the mythology of the past catching up with the dreams of the present to the fact that familial relations between PC & NPC's are a thing to be exploited to the fullest, these comics also had a driving supernatural almost what could be considered a Lovecraftian edge to them. The plots revolved and changed, adventures were dynamic and pulpy, and the characters were well rounded to a certain Sword & Sorcery degree much of this was due to Peter Mennigen's writing. Next time we dive more into the world of the demon slayer. Stay tuned!