A blog about sewing machine repairs,but mainly my hobbies which include old school role playing games, science fiction,films, horror, and general geekery. Sit down and stay a spell.
When all the world lay silent in the stars, And moonlight crossed my room with ghostly bars. He whispered hints of weird, unhallowed sight; I followed – then in waves of spectral light Mounted the shimmery ladders of my soul Where moon-pale spiders, huge as dragons, stole – Great forms like moths, with wings of wispy white.
Around the world the sighing of the loon Shook misty lakes beneath the false-dawn’s gleams; Rose tinted shone the sky-line’s minaret; I rose in fear, and then with blood and sweat Beat out the iron fabrics of my dreams, And shaped of them a web to snare the moon." Forbidden Magic (1929) byRobert Ervin Howard
This blog post is going to pick right back up from where we left off here. The moon of Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting isn't quite the Space 1999 first season as we know it. Instead it has its own alien races whom are within their own sphere of alien influence. And its this sphere that pull from the intergalactic circumstances. We think we know what the alien agenda is in the Gerry Anderson U.F.O. television show or Space 1999's first season?! Do we really though?! Think about it for a moment.
The aliens of U.F.O. have been abducting humans for centuries & the characters think they may have a handle on the situation. But if this alternative 1980 follows the Lovecraftian conventions?! Then we & the inhabitants have no real idea of what's going on. Once the monolith on the moon is found ala 2001 a Space Odyssey all bets are off. Humanity is a commodity & its got an expiration date on the package. The alien forces that are behind the monolith on the moon are far more concerned about man's evolution then the Greys are. Even so mankind seems to be a mere commodity. In the spirit of Robert E. Howard's fiction we keep fighting the alien influence even as it devours its occupants. This is so evident in the Marvel Jack King of Comics Kirby's oversized American comic book adaptation of the 1968 film adaptation of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
Jack Kirby artwork from 2001 A Space Odyssey Marvel Adaptation artwork used without permission.
Unofficially within my own head canon these alien forces are the same ones that wretch the moon from its orbit in Space 1999. They are higher dimensional beings that use alien objects to interact with our plane of existence. Why are they testing & modifying humanity?!? We have no idea but the moon plays a central part within their campaign of interstellar evolution. These aliens see the Reticulan empire of 'These Stars Are Ours' rpg setting as rivals & competition. The alien races & gods of H.P. Lovecraft are other alien client races to the so called Outer Gods. But why is the moon always so key to these interactions?!
The answer may be the fact that there's a nasty secret right under humanity's nose on the moon. According to Mysterious Universe's article 'The Apollo Moon Missions: Aliens, UFOs, Anomalous Photos, and Cover-ups'. There's far more going on the moon then simply the monolith. Let's take it one step further for our campaign & say that there's a Lovecraftan gateway on the moon to one of the higher dimensional realms!
Why because its easier to transport a commodity like humanity if the delivery service is up & running quickly & efficiently. Robert E. Howard was very skeptical about alien powers to say the least. And this skeptism runs deep in his Sword & Sorcery literature. An since Sword & Sorcery is the red headed step child of Science Fiction it seems appropriate to include him in our Appendix 'S' for this campaign. Again we see this type of agenda within & others are indictive of the type of affair that we see in Orbital 2100 from Zozer Games.
"I am older than the world: Older than life. The race of man is a babe in the cradle of Time. I am Alpha and Omega.
The first and the last; The circle without end. I am a serpent with its tail in its mouth; I am a triangle whose tips overlap a circle.
I am the older sister of Destiny. Before man was, I was: And after man has vanished from the Universe, I will be. Time is a phantom, built by the mind of man; There is no Time. The thing that men call Time flies before my wind; Time has beginning, duration, ending. I am that which was, is and shall be; Unceasing, Neverending, Eternal. Number all the sands of all the shores of all the worlds Of all the Universes. And let each sand represent a million centuries; And they all shall not be a single instant Of Eternity.
For I am numberless and unnumbered, Eternity had no beginning nor shall there be ending. I am Alpha and Omega. That which was, is and shall be; Numberless and unnumbered." Eternity byRobert Ervin Howard
Let's pick it up for a Seventies Sci fi rompe with the influences here coming hot on the heels of our last blog entry here. This blog post pick up in another direction entirely namely plugging into the another tactic with another storm front of another set of unknown space craft. What the Hell are we talking about here?!?
Imagine if you will that the UFO's we see in our campaign are not the only craft kidnapping people for ages from Earth prior to the moon being wretched from orbit? One of the keys to this is Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting. Omega 99 offers a moon with some interesting alien neighbors in the form of the Edari, the Kahgg, and the Mecharchs. These neighbors might be familiar to the inhabitants of Earth because the Earthlings have encountered them before! Last time I spoke about these aliens being servants of Greys or Reticulans. But imagine for a moment that Zozer Games Attack Squadron Roswell's discs. Are rival Reticulans or another race that is running scared about humanity. ‘Attack Squadron Roswell’ by Zozer Games is a pre-Cepheus Engine (it uses the MG1e / Traveller rules set) game. Now this rival group of Greys works for a different Lovecraftian entity.
These aliens see the Reticulan empire of 'These Stars Are Ours' rpg setting as rivals & competition. Competition because the clock is ticking. Humanity is becoming far more wise to the intrusions within our solar system. Reading through this review of 'UFOs - Ships of the Reticulan Empire' from the Alegis Downport Blog the seed is planted. Why?! Because the Reticulans have a fully formed empire. But their motivation for humanity is one dating back thousands of years.
Once the monolith on the moon is found ala 2001 a Space Odyessy all bets are off. The signal is sent & all other aliens powers are going to be aware of this. For humanity the motivation is FTL & the reaching for the stars. For the aliens its harvesting of a valuable reasouce in the form of mankind. A very malliable resource that they can shape into tools to help across the interstellar void. And both of these go back to my adopted uncle from the U.K.'s 2000AD prog, issues circa 1978 with the iconic Dan Dare series. In this scence Dan could have solved the FTL issue quite quickly with some of the artifacts in this scene.
If we take the point of view that there are rival factions of Greys serving higher dimensional Lovecraftian gods. And these are opposed to the 2001 style aliens where does that level humanity?! Could humanity be merely a commodity at this point. Imagine that by the time of the 1980 of U.F.O. humanity became aware of the Deep Ones or other underwater Lovcraftian races. Humanity would be desparate for some advantage perhaps submarine the technologies of SHADO Skydiver submarines had far more unnatural sources?!
Humanity occupied by its recent devestation of the Moon leaving orbit is now open to praying by dangerous forces above & below the waves. SHADO has to step in & take charge as the Martian colonies seize the opportunity to raid Earth. And SHADO moves into the position of global & interstellar military power in keeping with the Robert E. Howard ethos of action & violence begets order. Again this situation & others are indictive of the type of affair that we see in Orbital 2100 from Zozer Games.
Turning to light and fire the further west, Shall have the veils of twilight for his guest, And all the falling of an ashen sky.
On lands he shall not know, the splendor lies— A pharos on some alienated shore, In foam and purple lost forevermore, Where dreams are kindled in remoter eyes." Ashes of Sunset (1922) byClark Ashton Smith
So let's get back on this campaign & pick right up from where we last left off. What preceded the moon being wrenched out of orbit?! If we look deeply into the U.F.O. show's prehistory. Then there's indicators that the unnamed aliens were kidnapping people for ages. One of the keys to this is Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting. Omega 99 offers a moon with some interesting alien neighbors in the form of the Edari, the Kahgg, and the Mecharchs. These neighbors might be familiar to the inhabitants of Earth because the Earthlings have encountered them before! If we look at other Jerry Anderson shows there's a clear indicator that various aliens have used other alien races as servants & slaves. But not for the reasons you might be thinking.
These aliens information would be classified & only available at the highest levels of the world's government. These aliens were questioned & hopefully returned to their people. Hopefully. But what happened to the aliens from U.F.O.?! If these were higher dimensional beings & opposed to the monolith aliens from 2001 A Space Odyssey where did they go?! Two possibilities spring to mind. They perished after the implementation of the IX Hawk program after their resources ran out. This could be implied from the Hawk space craft's engineering evolution from the SHADO's Interceptor models.
Could something much more insidious have happened?! The aliens in point of fact may have infiltrated Earth society & come into their own. They may have revealed themselves to the higher levels of the U.N.. In exchange for the secrets of FTL drives simply slipped into Earth's leaders & scientists hands. This accelerated the Monolith alien's time table for humanity. And so the Moon was wrenched from orbit. This is the test for humanity using the 'random' course of the Earth's moon. Earth however was already using these drive systems with the Ultra mission (see Space 1999 season 1 episode 8 Dragon's Domain). The Ultra mission & others are indictive of the type of affair that we see in Orbital 2100 from Zozer Games.
Communication with Mars & her colonies is lost for months after Earth's Moon is wrenched from orbit. The Mark IX Hawks that were kept there were turned to a much darker use against the Earth & her colonies. The Martian colonists starving, half out of their minds, & perhaps under the alien influence of the Mi Go attack the Earth, her colonies, etc. in a series of daring, dazzling, & unprovoked raids.
Thy light is as a spear, And thou penetratest them As a warrior that stabbeth his foe Even to the center of his life. Thy rays reach farther than the gulfs; They form a bridge thereover That shall endure till the links of the universe Are unfastened, and drop apart, And all the gulfs are one, Dissevered by suns no longer.
How strong art thou in thy place ! Thou stridest thine orbit, And the darkness shakes beneath thee, As a road that is trodden by an army. Thou art a god In thy temple that is hollowed with light In the night of infinitude, And whose floor is the lower void; Thy worlds are as priests and ministers therein. Thou furrowest space, Even as an husbandman, And sowest it with alien seed; It beareth alien fruits, And these are thy testimony, Even as the crops of his fields Are the testimony of an husbandman."
This blog entry picks up right where the last one left off. Space in a Seventies style retro science fiction alternative 1980's Earth contiuum is gonna be a very dangerous place. The extensional threats are going to stack up fast.
Apollo 16, 1972. Unofficial picture from the Fox William Mulder archives provide by Andrea Bonazzi
The Earth's moon has been wrenched from its orbit by higher dimensional powers. The Earth itself lies in ruins & every alien threat sees this as an opportunty to cash in on the wreckage that seems to be humanity. The corporations step in & order within a few short years say five or so is restored. But at what cost?! The public by this point across the globe is gun shy. One of the keys to this is Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting. Omega 99 offers a moon with some interesting alien neighbors in the form of the Edari, the Kahgg, and the Mecharchs. These neighbors might be familiar to the inhabitants of Earth. But its the inhabitants of Zeta Reticulan that may be the envoys to 'help' the Earth. Coming out of the United States spacecraft Discovery One mission bound for Jupiter is the possible fact that the signal from the monolith may have alerted other aliens to the Earth. This is never touched upon in the film 2001 A Space Odyssey. But its implied in Arthur C. Clark's short story 'The Sentinel'.
If we continue on this route with the established history then Earth is on the galactic books of cosmic powers. The alien races out in the cosmos are not going to sit by likely. But does it matter?! One of the themes of U.F.O. is the fact that both the humans & alien higher dimensional powers are both screwed. Against an increasingly hostile universe. There was almost but not quite a team up. What happens if during the turmoil of the events of Space 1999's moon disappearance a Lovecraftian client race like the Mi Go come into focus on mankind's radar? If we take some of the Lovecraftian material from Paul Dyre's Shadow Fall. Then the Mi Go might be 'helping' from the shadows for decades until 1980. The reason is simple. The U.F.O. aliens are not only competition but possible allies. There are some deeply dangerous races & entities out in the universe. The Mi Go are nothing if not alienly pragmatic,. Zozer Games's 2100 is the perfect supplement to handle the Eagle program. This is after the disappearance of the U.F.O. aliens. Did they disappear or did they integrate into humanity?! Have these aliens carefully been relocated within Earth society after the Moon was wretched from orbit?! These alien races might actually be serving the alien higher dimensional powers behind the monolith. The U.F.O aliens test humanity's mettle, then ally with them, relocate to Earth, and then the Mi Go reveal themselves to reveal the 'secrets' of the Hyperspace drive. And then is the next glorious step in the every expanding chain of history's events. Where is all of this going?! There's more to this we can be sure of this even while H.P. Lovecraft assures us that we are insignificant against an uncaring universe. But its actually the Eagle Program that reveals part of the equation here.
The powers behind the monolith on Earth's moon had interactions with the alien races that mankind had encountered before. The Mi Go, the Elder Things, the U.F.O. alien essences, & even 'The Close Encounter of the Third Kind' beings. But those belong to a 'rogue power' if you will. But all bets are off once mankind get's Hostile's Hyperspace jump. This was a part of wrenching the moon from Earth's obit to test the mettle of humanity. Mankind is a valuable resource & one that 'These Stars Are Ours' setting knows about. But then again these alien life forms are also insignificant against the blackness of space & the Lovecraftian 'gods' . When it really comes into focus is in Hostile.
Note that the use of these videos are the subject to their copyright & trademark holders. This blog entry is for a personal rpg table top campaign & for educational purposes. This is not an attempt to violate the trade mark or copy rights of such holders. The above mentioned rpg authors are not responsible for the contents of this blog or its writer.
"These Great Old Ones...were not composed altogether of flesh and blood. They had shape...but that shape was not made of matter. When the stars were right, They could plunge from world to world through the sky.... When, after infinities of chaos, the first men came, the Great Old Ones spoke to the sensitive among them by molding their dreams; for only thus could Their language reach the fleshy minds of mammals.
When it comes to pulling off a Sevenies U.F.O.television series \style Chepheus Engine campaign. One of the keys to this is Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting. Omega 99 offers a moon with some interesting alien neighbors in the form of the Edari, the Kahgg, and the Mecharchs. Some great ideas as well to get the polyester sci fi goodness underway.
What if the intent wasn't simply a cultclassic TV show but the idea that this was deadly serious busines along the lines of the 1972 film 'Silent Running. Earth's moon get's wrench out of the orbit by higher dimensional powers. The Earth is hit with wave after wave of ecological disasters. Earlier the humans sent the Discovery one on a publicity expediation after monolith was found on Earth's moon. What if this is the third or forth contact with alien life forms. So the events of '2001 A Space Odyssey' were part of a longer chain of events in human history.
The United States spacecraft Discovery One is bound for Jupiter.. This is as much a publicity stunt as it is an expediationary mission to Jupiter. The alien signal came from the moon's monolith. For the most part humanity doesn't have a clue as to what changes have been wrought to those who were subject to its influence?! The moon itself maybe ten or so years later is wrench from its orbit ala Space 1999. But if we assume that this is correct. Using the joint U.F.O. followed by '2001 A Space Odysssey' history , & then Space 1999. The wrap around of Silent Running comes hot on its heels. Then we've got a very Lovecraftian theme going on here indeed. So let's continue backwards to the Seventies for a moment or so. Let's say that in 1977 that humanity actually had contact with aliens in ' Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. We have some idea who & what those aliens were. We may have no idea whom or what those aliens served. The fact of the matter is that poor souls who left with the 1977 film's aliens are gone down a Lovecraftian rabbit hole. This is a view point that is even shared by other movie reviewers including the excellent 'The Scary Review Blog; "And we have to ask, what exactly do these aliens really want? If they’ve been abducting people for generations, what do they want with the one man crazy enough to have made it to Devils Tower? If they’ve been taking people all willy-nilly since before WWII, or even longer, well…it goes to say they probably already have a clear understanding of human anatomy. And if they can insert images and thoughts into our minds, well… this begs the question, how much more of us do they really need to know? To me, it all seems like a subjective test. A greater intelligence than our own giving humanity the equivalent of a SAT exam"
Apollo 16, 1972. Unofficial picture from the Fox William Mulder archives provide by Andrea Bonazzi
In Deuce of Clubs website's other fantastic little article titled 'Spacecraft or Lovecraft' he goes into the following; "An intriguing hypothesis has been suggested by Jacques Vallee, the real-life model for the character of the French scientist in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and author of many books on the UFO phenomenon, such as Dimensions and Messengers of Deception. Vallee does not share Steven Spielberg's trusting view of the visitors, whom he believes are probably not visitors at all. Vallee has made a history-spanning study of stories of supernatural contact—Greco-Roman tales of sky chariots, Celtic stories of elves and fairies abducting children and mutilating animals, Joseph Smith's alleged heavenly visions, and apparitions of the Virgin Mary—and found that such experiences closely parallel the experiences of UFO contactees. It seems that the phenomenon currently known as the contactee experience is almost coeval with human culture. "UFOs have been seen throughout history and have consistently received (or provided) their own explanation within the framework of each culture," Vallee says. Stories of these visitors conform to the prevailing mythology or beliefs; the visitors become whatever we want them to be and tell us whatever we want to hear. Modern mythology having shifted from the magical to the scientific, it's only logical that popular culture now attributes such phenomena to scientifically advanced beings from space." Could the events of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' have jump started the world of U.F.O.?! If these aliens were abducting humans since the beginning of time. And just before they go on their cosmic joy ride with the sciencetific expermental anim ermm contactees. They warn the international monkey governments about these other 'bad' aliens coming to harvest blood, organs, bodies, etc.
Now at the events at Devil's Tower Col. Edward Straker, is a lowly witness to lightshow & what not of 'Close Encounters'. He has time to think about these events. And becomes a part of an international task force that mobilizes to move humanity's technologies ahead. He moves a head with the investments
of Harlington-Straker Film Studios. But deep down he knows of the cosmic danger that these alien forces represent. Now this moves the space programs of this alternative Earth ahead at warp speed. The space borne coolness of Orbital 2100 is in full effect. Humanity has the beginnings of FTL drives but they won't be ready for another 10 or so years. Then the other U.F.O.'s begin showing up. The UFO cults begin to flourish as well. Nasty little cells of proto occult terrorist cells serving powers beyond the ken of mankind show up. And terrorist actions such as mass bombings, etc. start to happen. Could all of this actually tie back into Professor Quatarmass & the The Quatermass Conclusion?!
If we move forward with the idea that these events propel Earth's technologies forward. And could help explain the hard line governmental stance of anything alien. If you think about it who can blame humanity at that point?! These alien forces have been showing up & taking humans for their own agendas. And this something that we can use Attack Squadron Rosewell for. A wide variety of alien craft & weirdness for the players to contend with.
From here the big factor is the Earth's Moon & establishing a base there in 1980. The key here is the moon's military importance. Humanity by 1980 is wiped & wary, so existence of this moon base would be kept utterly secret. Again here its Orbital 2100 that is key to creating such an adventure location.
Humanity by the time its reached the Reticulian Empire of 'These Stars Are Ours' has utterly had it with alien influences. So that explains a bit of the flexing of the military might on humanity's part. The Fall of Mankind back down into Sol isn't hard to see. Hostile in my campaigns is Sevenities Sci fi humanity reaching for the stars again.
Note that the use of these videos are the subject to their copyright & trademark holders. This blog entry is for a personal rpg table top campaign & for educational purposes. This is not an attempt to violate the trade mark or copy rights of such holders. The above mentioned rpg authors are not responsible for the contents of this blog or its writer.
Does Earth's moon hold far more secrets then humanity understood?! Even as it was blasted from Earth's solar system in 1999?!
Apollo 16, 1972. Unofficial picture from the Fox William Mulder archives provide by Andrea Bonazzi
Two days ago Paul Elliot of Zozer games came out with a really cool little comment in the Cepheus Engine Face book group; " You could combine Orbital 2100 with Hostile, swapping the Alien-style ships in Hostile for the 2100 centrifuge ships, just add a hyperdrive from Hostile.... Both are Cepheus Engine Zozer Games " Now this got me thinking about Hostile which according to Paul ;"In a way my later setting HOSTILE is the Orbital setting, 125 years later ... but with the caveat of hyperspace and anti-gravity."
So does this mean that in the one hundred & twenty five years every small mom & pop adventurer start up is going to be able to afford the high end space craft of Hostile?! Hell no. They'll be relying on the hyperdrives to get them into the wild black of interstellar outer space. And this is where Orbital 2100 comes into play.
This is one of the points of this is that mom & pop surveyors & prospectors are going to be using much of the equipment still found in Orbital 2100. Why not simply use Explorers & call it a day?! Space & especially interstellar space is mind bogglingly huge. This means that in some regions of space 125 year old technology is still the norm. Explorers is the upper end of the field for my Hostile/Cepheus Engine rpg campaign. But there's another reason all together and that's the Gerry Anderson factor. Orbital 2100 also offers the DM the ability to run a U.F.O. Seventies TV style add on to the campaign. But how could you pull this off?! Easily with Michael Brown's Omega 99 campaign setting. Omega 99 offers a moon with some interesting alien neighbors in the form of the Edari, the Kahgg, and the Mecharchs. Some great ideas as well to get the polyester sci fi goodness underway.
Since my wife & I were kids we've loved Gerry Anderson's Seventies television show U.F.O. but man this show could use an overhaul & it got one as the first season of Space 1999. But U.F.O. is still a favorite among fans.
But what does this have to do with Hostile & Orbital 2100?! Everything as we see in the Space 1999 first season episode 'Wargames' which introduced the iconic Hawk IX to the space craft line up. The Hawk would later appear in Starlog magazine issue 32 March 1980. Which had the Hawk as an unofficial space craft link up between Moonbase Alpha beginnings & the Hawk space craft defense program as a defense against the aliens of U.F.O. You can go to the Space 1999 catacombs here to read all about from the pages of Starlog.
MPC's Hawk mark IX model that was available in Walmart.
Not only can the Hawk program be done in Orbital 2100 but by using Attack Squadron Rosewell you & your players get the full on effect of sky borne action in an alternative Earth 1980. Orbital 2100 is the perfect space craft bed to design the Hawk program from.
Why not just use 'The Stars Are Ours' as the campaign basis?! Well what if I total you that these aliens were just as much to a menace to the the Reticulan Empire as to the humans. And the reason is the humans. Human bodies & organs are being harvested by the aliens. The Reticulan's humans in TSAO are simply another bell bottom obstacle to be removed to the aliens of this campaign. The aliens of U.F.O. are particularly Lovecraftian in a sense. The aliens are actually a combination of the abductees who have been modified to hold the alien's life essence with organ transplants. And originals who are trying to survive against a really nasty ecological disaster on their home planet. Details on these aliens & their craft as follows..
Note that the use of these videos are the subject to their copyright & trademark holders. This blog entry is for a personal rpg table top campaign & for educational purposes. This is not an attempt to violate the trade mark or copy rights of such holders. The above mentioned rpg authors are not responsible for the contents of this blog or its writer.
The following notes & expansions are on the extra dimensional & Outer Darkness menace known as the Star Spider.
The auditorium filled with spectators & senators from across Pan American Empire,Marcus Orearlus of extraterrestrial studies department of the college Alchemists and Elementalists looked the crowd over & waited till they were seated. "Welcome friends,senators, alumni, & respected laymen tonight we are going to speak about one of the most dangerous & least understood members of the family of Outer Darkness monsters. We are not even sure if the dreaded Star Spider is even alive in the conventional sense as we know life'. "This is not a new
enemy but a very old one that we face! The Space Spider has stalked us
through the ages! We must beware its tendrils and its eye that burns
with the light that never warms. I myself have heard the howling,
sucking, roar of this stalker from between the dark of the stars.
Observe the stellar scope for a three vi broad cast of the Ultra probe
incident from 20 March 1996 Earth 43* & then the "Tony Cellini incident" from 877 days after the Earth's Moon left orbit.
"I refer you now Ladies and Brothers to World
Space Commission Medical Department form regarding the status of one
Captain Tony Cellini and the reports that are attached. May the Gods
themselves have mercy on his soul." "From that
incident and my own research I have made several assessments. The Space Spider makes its lairs within the wrecks of space craft. It
uses the wreckage as both lair and for its own procreation. These space craft
become entangled a web of hyper dimensional energy for these monsters act as
anchor in the local space time continuum. These uncaring predators
are gluttons feeding on as many victims as they can. They roast all of
the life essence and vitality from their victims. They have the characteristics of both "dimensional shamblers" and the dread Hounds of Tindalos." " These
beings use combination of psychic lure and assault to force their
victims within range of their tentacles. The monsters mouth orifice is
like a blast furnace stripping a man to a burnt shell in seconds and
absorbing the soul. The creature is a glutton feeding on as many souls
as it can stuff into maul. The creature is capable of moving across
time and space within moments. It departure signaled within the span of
moments by a light show of swirling lights and a rushing of wind, light,
and psychic insanity. This wind is accompanied by fog generated but
both the creature itself and its body being suspended between our
reality and else where. Some have sworn the Outer Darkness and others
have said lower dimensional spaces." "
These monsters exist in timeless dimensional limbo where the passage of
time means very little and yet they can lay dormant for thousands of
years. The beasts move along atesseract of foamy dark lower realities.
They often have several lairs along inter dimensional axis routes. If
you refer to page 42 of my report we shall exam the tendril strength of
these creatures which is just as capable as a small "space kraken."
The most terrifying power of these beasts is of course the so called
Psychic Death Kiss. These monsters once encountered can track prey that
has escaped them years or months later. They act as sort of "paranormal
murderers" stalking those who have escaped their grasp. Sometimes upwards
of ten years or more eventually the creatures will come for their
prey." "They're presence is denoted by a howling roar and a
soul sucking wind that is generated by the mouth of these monsters.
Indeed their inner gullet is like an atomic blast furnace. " Please pay no attention to the Magus high guard who have entered the meeting around you." Marcus
Orearlus paused and sipped his water for a moment collecting his
thoughts and paid special attention to Gelbrus Cronos the Elemental
guild master in the front. " As I have said I have had personal
experience with these monsters. The doomed Argos mission encountered a lair of these beasts in late August three cycles ago when we were
exploring the Pyrius sector. Only myself and my late wife survived the
encounter. The guild master himself authorized the expedition but I
digress." "This is not the only species of the Space Spider that
mankind has encountered. The Gods themselves have cursed mankind going
back thousands of years and only recently has this species brought to
light." Carlo Rambaldi’s incredible Medusa from Perseus Against the Monsters 1963
" Further
research indicates that the victim is both alive and aware the during
the entire time they are petrified by the monsters. They are locked in a
state of torment and the monsters feed upon their very souls as time
passes. The beasts have veritable garden of stone statues that they feed
off of. Victims within this state can last ten to twenty years of time." "The medusa is
a very stealthy hunter and able to sneak up its prey with its attack. A
single glance and the very soul of the victim is frozen along with
their flesh. And why the eye? Because it is the window to the soul. Upon our colony of Alphas II we encountered such a beast. " "The medusa had been
dormant for more then ten years within its valley. Cyber centurions
working on behalf of the colonists disturbed the sleep of this monsters.
We lost half a company to the creature. The results of this encounter
are well known. Please see report 23 in your briefing""
"Gelbrus
Cronos the Elemental guild was also responsible for this outrage and
only then did we learn that these creatures and their larger brethren
have visited mankind many times in the past. There was ruined temple
upon the colony world and within its halls were indications that
millions of years ago during the Atlantian period of these creatures
were summoned to Earth with astonishing regularity. Because of the necro
dimensional magic of certain Atlantian sects the fabric of space time
was weakened allowing these creatures free access to the Earth's space
time. Most of these spells or psychic keys have been lost in the mists
of time. However certain indications also point to activity of these
monsters during the so called Twilight years after the Atomic Wars. Also
similar symbols were found within the caverns of Mars. Could ancient
Barsoomian psychic rites have paved the way for these monsters there as
well? Why even my own beloved wife subcombed to the lusts for the human
soul that creatures exhibit. Gelbrus Cronos the Elemental guild is
sitting upon such a symbol right now. Notice the lights beginning to dim
my friend and that roaring that your hearing right now. I was also
aboard the Argos. I escaped it you see but one never really escapes it.
The dreams come. My wife knew that. Let me comfort you and tell you all
about it in our final moments together.This meeting is now over" The strange lights began to swirl and rushing got very loud indeed and the screaming began.
OSR & Campaign Notes
The star spider is a
high level monster from the Arduin game books of Dave Hargrave & The Arduin Eternal line that has seen action
within several of my campaigns. The star spider has been plaguing
mankind for thousand if not millions of years. The creatures appeared to
have interaction on planet ten and Barsoom.
There are three
variations of the space spider and only to two are still viable at this
time. The Barsoomian variation is extinct at this time.
The Space
Spider is capable of moving itself and its lair 1d100 light years in
interdimensional space in order to reach its prey. The creature must
have left a "Psychic Death Kiss" upon its victim. Please note that only
certain psychic abilities are able to remove let alone detect the kiss.
Certain forms of expensive magic, psychic healing or super science may
remove the kiss from a victim.
These creatures
are related to Dimensional Shamblers of Lovecraftian Mythos. These
beings do not get along at all and compete for the same food source.
Mankind is so much cattle to these beings.
These creatures
are feasters of souls but their metabolic processes are so alien and
mysterious that it is very hard to be sure of the processes of life and
true death even applying to them. There are indications that they are
immune to psychic,magical, and any type of detection or are capable of
masking such. There are indications that these beings are related or
exist in areas controlled by the Outer God Yog Shaggoth.
The Medusa
variety of the Space Spider is capable of limited shape shifting of mass
and tendrils. And due to its nature capable of effecting its victims
molecular structure. Resurrection isn't possible by cloning or even
divine interaction due to the corruption of the victim's very soul.
Each type is
capable of tracking its victims across interstellar distances and seems
to stalk as well as send telepathic dreams in order to create fear and
insanity with the victim. There is speculation of the monsters simply
saucing the meat so to speak
There are
indications of this beast appearing in Cimmerian and Atlantian periods
of Earth's history. Times when the proto dimensional fields were at
their weakest. After the Atomic Wars there was a similar weakening taken
full advantage of by monsters of this type.
Though they can
be summoned by divine or psychic "magic" rites. These being are immune
to 99.9 percent of all magic or psychic control of any type. Once
summoned it is best to run away if possible so as not to end up as
supper for one of these beings.
The eye beam of
the star spider sees into several realities at once. Its attacks are
directed from outside of the local space time continuum.
Certain stellar
or cosmic terrestrial cosmic objects seem to draw members of this
species. These are often objects of power or artifacts of lost or
ancient origin.
The tendrils
or tentacles of these beings are often used to bleed off the reality
bending energies of the monsters. They are laced with 17,000 sets of neo
reality sensing nerves. Capable of instantly running through a gamut of
realities and planar constants. This appears to be a matter of instinct
and not intelligence.
The beasts appear to be capable of storing six hundred and sixty six individual trace patterns in order to trace their prey.
The creatures
have a hunger that knows no bounds and they will feed on as many beings
as they can stuff within their proto glandular stomach. The medusa
extends this stomach over the statues of its victims drawing as much of
the sou as it can. Each day taking a bit at time.
The petrification beam of the Medusa has a range of 60 feet in length and width of 2-3 feet.
The Space Spider Medusa Armor Class : 5 (14)
Hit Dice: 6 Attacks: Petrifying gaze Special : Immune to magic, most psychic abilities, regenerates as troll
Move:12
HDE/XP:8/800
These creatures
can be summoned by a summon monster spell but can not be controlled by
such. They are very dangerous and have a horde class of XII.
"The Medusa"
originally appeared in the sword and sandals flick Perseus vs The
Medusa. It was designed by the monster maker maestro Carlos Rambaldi
himself. The creature later appeared on television as part of the "Sons
of Hercules"series The part of Perseus played by Richard Harrison
