Fafhrd and Gray Mouser NPC for Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition Rpg

 

Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser art by Mike Mignola

To bring Fritz Leiber’s iconic duo into the Sword of Cepheus (2e) system, we need to balance their legendary prowess with the grounded, lethal nature of the 2D6 OGL engine.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are quintessential "high-rank" characters who nonetheless rely on wit, speed, and specific signature gear.

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 Fafhrd of Norland

Fafhrd is a powerhouse of reach and northern brawn, characterized by his immense strength and surprising coordination.

Characteristic	Score	Modifier
STR	12	+2
DEX	9	+1
END	11	+1
INT	8	+0
WIS	7	+0
CHA	9	+1

• Significant Skills: Athletics 2, Combat (Greatsword) 3, Combat (Brawl) 2, Carouse 2, Recon 1, Survival 1.

• Signature Gear: Graywand (Bastard Sword/Greatsword). In Cepheus 2e, this deals 3D6+2 damage. He often carries a weighted throwing axe (2D6 damage).

• Traits: * Battle Rage: Once per combat, Fafnir can ignore the effects of the "Injured" condition for $1D6$ rounds.

  • Reach: Due to his height and Graywand, he gains a +1 DM to parry reactions against smaller opponents.

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The Gray Mouser

The Mouser is the ultimate multiclass archetype: a failed wizard’s apprentice turned peerless duelist and thief.

Characteristic	Score	Modifier
STR	6	-1
DEX	13	+2
END	8	+0
INT	11	+1
WIS	9	+1
CHA	10	+1

• Significant Skills: Combat (Light Blade) 3, Stealth 3, Deception 2, Thievery 2, Sorcery 1 (Lesser Magic), Streetwise 2.

• Signature Gear: Scalpel (Rapier; 2D6+2 damage) and Cat’s Claw (Main-gauche; 1D6+1 damage).

• Traits:

  • Dual Wielder: When using Scalpel and Cat's Claw together, he may add +1 to either his Attack or Parry roll each round.

  • Evasive: The Mouser can use his DEX DM (+2) for protection instead of armor when not surprised.

  • Dabbler: He possesses a few "Cantrip" style spells but must succeed on a difficult (-2) Sorcery check to cast them, reflecting his abandoned training.

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Party Synergy: The Twain

In Sword of Cepheus, combat is often a trade-off between Stamina and Lifeblood. When these two fight together, apply the following rule:

Back-to-Back: If 

Fafhrd and the Mouser are within Close range of each other, they both receive a +1 DM to all Parry reactions. Fafnir draws the attention of heavy hitters, while the Mouser utilizes the Advantage mechanic for sneak attacks against distracted foes.

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Implementation Note

In 2nd Edition, remember that Stamina recovers quickly, but Lifeblood damage is serious.

•  Fafhrd is a "Stamina tank"—he can soak up a lot of hits before his physical attributes take a hit.

• The Mouser is a glass cannon—if he fails a parry, a single lucky roll from a city guardsman could end his career.

OSR Review & Commentary Retro Rockets From Stellagama Publishing By Robert Garitta For the Faster Than Light: Nomad rpg

 Retro Rockets!

"The Solar System wasn't always like this. Mariner and later probes brought us the planets, but they cost us, the foggy swamps of Venus, the stately canals of Mars, the Empires of the Jovian Moons were gone. Our sword and planet fantasies, the roaring rockets of the Space Patrol, were all trampled by merciless science and reality."

Welcome to the Planets!

In Retro Rockets, you will find:

Detailed gazetteer of our vintage Solar System!
Full description of 13 planets and locations, from Mercury to Jupiter and beyond!
Dozens of fleshed-out NPCs ready to drop into your sci-fi campaign, as contacts, patrons, or antagonists!
Multiple sentient aliens and their weird societies! Including as player characters!
Dozens of weird alien beasts ready to unleash on your players!
Rumors, insider information, and secrets known only the the privileged few!
Over a dozen rocketships with full Faster Than Light: Nomad stats!
And more! Tech! Robots! Space hazards!

If you liked Solar Sagas, you will find here more of everything! Over double the word count - more NPCs, more secrets, more planets, more rocketships - many more! And this time for our newer Faster Than Light: Nomad rules!

If you are new to this setting - you are in for a treat.

Written with the Referee (Game Master) in mind.

Requires the Faster Than Light: Nomad rules"

Retro Rockets  From Stellagama Publishing By Robert Garitta For the  Faster Than Light: Nomad rpg is a retro Pulp Sci Fi role playing supplement that can take your 2d6  game players to the stars! Or around the Outer planets of the solar system! This is a retro Pulp game in every sense of the word where the PC's are ingrained into the setting from character creation straight through adventuring. Retro Rockets PC generation is quick, fast, and reliable easily taking full advantage of the 2d6 Faster Then Light: Nomad Rules. 

 Retro Rockets take full advantage of the FTL: Nomad rules for it's solar system setting, straight up races, and all around Pulp Sci Fi. This is a future that never was in one and ninety six pages of 2d6 fun. This setting gets the full Pulp treatment with new races, solar system locations, and much more. What this game does is provide the DM and players a complete set of tools to set up mini adventures, or lengthy campaign set within a Pulp solar system. 
The Sci Fi has all of the patrons, corporations, etc that we've come to expect within a Pulp driven Sci Fi universe. And it looks really fun to play within. There's  lots of ways for PC's to die for sure within this campaign setting. Things within Retro Rockets are centered on square jawed heroes and heroines with your PC's cast as one! The game play looks smooth for  the FTL: Nomad rules.
The game world is one of the most decent of the 2d6 games supplements that I've seen with alien races thrown in early in the PC design. The solar system world setting is compelling and wholly thought out! Retro Rockets looks like a great game world for 2d6 FTL:Nomad game play! 

Ill Met In The Wastelands - Cepheus Atom Session report

 So today we ran a /Barbaric one shot adventure. The player's PC's were a part of an adventuring guild that sent the party into a wasteland to clear an area of some skeleton clankers  & what the party didn't realize is that there were some Coalition forces in the area. 

The party almost got their clocks cleaned by the combination but were surprised that Coalition forces weren't push overs. It was almost a deadly encounter to say the least. The party's telekinetic managed to drop a small building on the human supremacists.  

What the party didn't understand was the fact that the Coalition forces were containing a horde of zombies was making it's home in the ruins. The rest of the party had a Hell of a time containing the horrors withing a switch back set of ruins. 
And they recovered and used a small nuclear device the Coalition forces were going to use to against the undead horrors. They managed to set off the device and get to 'safe' distance before the explosion took them out. Three members of the party were exposed to radiation and gained three new mutations. The adventurers also recovered several reels of valuable copper wiring, electrical equipment and a generator from the ruins. They weren't prepared for the arrival of a radiation dragon that had been attracted by the sudden explosion of radiation. 
The party managed to get away with their loot and more by taking the Coalition's mutant horses. 

OSR Review of The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg By Omer Golan-Joel, Josh Peters, & Richard Hazlewood From Stellagama Publishing

"A sorcerer blasting his enemies with the power of his mind. A muscled barbarian wielding a flaming sword against the local tyrant's thugs. A gladiator who freed himself from slavery wanders the land, righting wrongs and smashing villains. Big muscles, big swords, eldritch sorcery, powers of the mind, terrible beasts. From Burroughs to Howard to Moorcock to Italian Peplum films to those dreaming of outlandish post-apocalyptic worlds, heroes raise swords against corrupt nobles, inscrutable sorcerers, and alien monstrosities."

"The Sword of Cepheus is a roleplaying game in the triple  genres: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal. In Sword and Sorcery, often-amoral protagonists face vile sorcery and horrid beasts as they complete awesome adventures for gold and glory. In Sword and Planet, humans finding themselves on barbaric or decadent alien planets use their superior brawn and valiant hearts to win fame, fortune, and the heart of an alien princeling. In Sword and Sandal, often set in a quasi-Biblical or faux-Roman world, men and women with sharp wits and strong sword-arms fight mythological creatures and overthrow tyrants. The common threads of all three genres are the blade-wielding protagonists who use their brawn, as well as brains, to fight foes both supernatural and mundane and undertake hair-raising, violent adventures."

The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg  By Omer Golan-Joel, Josh Peters, & Richard Hazlewood came my way this morning from Stellagama Publishing. Now the first thing I noticed was that the size of Sword of Chepheus has increased by it's page count to three hundred and seventy seven pages. This change shows the roll over into role playing into the triple  genres: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal genres. This is now reflected into the PC's generation system with 12 archetypes, 12 races of non humans, careers, & more. The magic system seriously reflects the corruption, mutation, and more. This system of magick is plugged into the Genres of their category of Fantasy. Sword of Cepheus 2nd edition does an excellent job of capturing the lightning in a bottle aspects of Sword & Sorcery.

The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg plugs into it's 2d6 adventure subject matter with gusto enabling the DM to get into running adventures right away with a plethora of monsters and creatures. There's the usual suspects from the world's most popular fantasy rpg but there's something profoundly different in the presentation of these creatures. Because Sword is a complete rpg meaning you can buy the one book and get ready to run adventures!

Treasure goes through the gamut of treasures found in rpg's from rings to helms as well as plunder. The section is well thought out and there's even a magical mishap table for when things go really wrong with the treasure.

The encounter generating section is well done and has more then enough to get the players into trouble in a wilderness or a city. This is a really well done section with just enough randomness to create a campaign from the ground up. These encounters run from straight wilderness to complete urban areas. This section dovetails rather nicely into the NPC generation section.

Finally we get a rather nice Super Science section that rounds out The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg. However overall what do I think of Sword of Cepheus Second edition?! In a word, I really like the changes to the sections, the overall feel, and increases in the system. The whole package doesn't feel unwieldy instead it feels like an overall 2d6 system of improvement. I highly recommend Sword of Cepheus Second edition.

First Impressions & OSR Review of The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg By Omer Golan-Joel, Josh Peters, & Richard Hazlewood From Stellagama Publishing

 "A sorcerer blasting his enemies with the power of his mind. A muscled barbarian wielding a flaming sword against the local tyrant’s thugs. A gladiator who freed himself from slavery wanders the land, righting wrongs and smashing villains. Big muscles, big swords, eldritch sorcery, powers of the mind, terrible beasts. From Burroughs to Howard to Moorcock to Italian Peplum films to those dreaming of outlandish post-apocalyptic worlds, heroes raise swords against corrupt nobles, inscrutable sorcerers, and alien monstrosities."

"The Sword of Cepheus is a roleplaying game in the triple “Sword” genres: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal. In Sword and Sorcery, often-amoral protagonists face vile sorcery and horrid beasts as they complete awesome adventures for gold and glory. In Sword and Planet, humans finding themselves on barbaric or decadent alien planets use their superior brawn and valiant hearts to win fame, fortune, and the heart of an alien princeling. In Sword and Sandal, often set in a quasi-Biblical or faux-Roman world, men and women with sharp wits and strong sword-arms fight mythological creatures and overthrow tyrants. The common threads of all three genres are the blade-wielding protagonists who use their brawn, as well as brains, to fight foes both supernatural and mundane and undertake hair-raising, violent adventures."

The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg By Omer Golan-Joel, Josh Peters, &  Richard Hazlewood came my way this morning from  Stellagama Publishing. Now the first thing I noticed was that the size of Sword of Chepheus has increased by it's page count to three hundred and seventy seven pages. This change shows the roll over into role playing into  the triple “Sword” genres: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal genres. This is now reflected into the PC's generation system with 12 archtypes, 12 races of non humans, careers, & more. The magic system seriously reflects the corruption, mutation, and more. This system of magick is plugged into the Genres of thier category of Fantasy. Sword of Cepheus 2nd edition does an excellent job of capturing the lightning in a bottle aspects of Sword & Sorcery. 
The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg plugs into it's 2d6 adventure subject matter with gusto enabling the DM to get into running adventures right away with a plethora of monsters and creatures. There's the usual suspects from the world's most popular fantasy rpg but there's something profoundly diffferent in the presentation of these creatures. Because Sword is a complete rpg meaning you can buy the one book and get ready to run adventures! 
Treasure goes through the gamut of treasures found in rpg's from rings to helms as well as plunder. The section is well thought out and there's even a magical mishap table for when things go really wrong with the treasure. 
The encounter generating section is well done and has more then enough to get the players into trouble in a wilderness or a city. This is a really well done section with just enough randomness to create a campaign from the ground up. These encounters run from straight wilderness to complete urban areas. This section dovetails rather nicely into the NPC generation section. 
Finally we get a rather nice Super Science section that rounds out The Sword of Cepheus Second Edition Rpg. However overall what do I think of Sword of Cepheus Second edition?! In a word, I really like the changes to the sections, the overall feel, and increases in the system. The whole package doesn't feel unwieldly instead it feels like an overall 2d6 system of improvement. I highly recommend Sword of Cepheus Second edition. 

OSR Review & Commentary On Faster Than Light: Nomad Rpg By Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, Josh Peters, & Robert Garitta

  Faster Than Light: Nomad is the latest incarnation of the 2d6 classic interstellar & Science Fiction rpg. Well refer to Faster Then Light: Nomad.  This game is a great reinterpretation of the classic Science Fiction rules & that's what FTLN does. This set of rules is very streamlined and compact. It takes the classic 2d6 & makes solid edition choices too make rules and such simple as well as elegant. 

FTLN takes thier rules in some interesting directions as a variation on the Cepheus Engine rules. They make some bold rules, editing, and writing choices that separate at it from standard Cepheus Engine rules such as: "Streamlined 2d6 core mechanic with dice pool components. Instead of rolling 2d6 with a series of modifiers as in classic 2d6 games, in FTL: Nomad you roll a bunch of dice, and choose the lowest or highest two, then add them together and add the skill modifier." 
And we also get this approach with 

PC generation as well;"Fast but deeply customizable character generation. Distribute 5 points among 7 skills, choose an Archetype, choose a Talent, calculate Stamina dn Encumbrance, and choose a gear package. That's it. But this means that a wide range of combinations are possible!" This allows the player to take more ownership of thier character during creation.  Don't think that Stellagama Publishing skimps on the total role playing game package here. 
Faster Then Light Nomad is very well laidout, solidly edited, and has an easy to read font. As PDF FTLN has a complete table of contents, index, and is simple, straight forward, as well as being well organized.This book clocks in at two hundred & seventy seven pages of 2d6 rpg goodness including streamlined combat,  psionics, starship creation, robotics and cybernetic creation rules, and more. This means that the Faster Then Light: Nomad Rpg is a complete role playing game unto itself. This makes the 10.00 dollar price tag easier on the wallet. 
So that the Faster Than Light: Nomad Rpg  is the 2d6 go too for a fast, entertaining, and complete Saturday night adventure! And this is is what FTLN is good for! The pull of a solid evening's entertainment and enjoyable 2d6  game play.  

Review & Commentary On Quantum Dark: Alien Companion By Robert Garitta From Stellagama Publishing For The Quantum Dark Rpg

 "They’re here. They are hostile. They hide in dark places working their bizarre plans or fly above with impunity."

The invasion came. No one noticed. This is the harvesting or the occupation or the culling. Accounts differ.
The governments of our world are either in denial or engaged in a massive conspiracy to suppress the truth.

Humans will fight back, being human. Any resistance will be isolated at first, full of odd allies and harsh decisions. However, resistance is the only alternative.

This companion is intended to bring in particularly horrific Gray Aliens, UFOs, and Alien Hybrids into your Quantum Dark game, (or any Quantum Engine game)" 

Quantum Dark: Alien Companion By Robert Garitta is the latest from Stellagama Publishing For The Quantum Dark Rpg. This supplement crams in everything that a DM is going to need to add The Greys into thier Quantum Dark game. Or any 2d6 Quantym Engine game. 
So what does the Quantum Dark: Alien Companion have within?! You've got 2 types of Greys including the Tall Greys and thier psionics. An overview of thier saucers including 2 types of Grey saucers. 
An overview of Grey technologies from examination tables to full on weaponry. Then we dive into weaponry and even the abduction process! And the full overview of  minions from Mantis people to Greyhybrids to the frighteningly dangerous mutates. And we even get a Grey cult ready to go! Then there's Cryptids and finally the alien agenda. 
Everything within the Quantum Dark: Alien Companion By Robert Garitta is compact, concise, and ready to be played! There's plenty of this material to add the Greys full bore to a Quantum Dark or other 2d6 Cepheus Engine game without any  fuss.
Quantum Dark itself is an excellent fast play 2d6 rpg which dips deeply into the horror genre for it style of play. And the PC's sheet will quite literally fit onto a business card. This makes the game easy to use as total of twenty nine pages. 

Quantum Dark has a full gamit of 2d6 systems distilled down to it's essence allowing horror rpging easily and without twenty different supplement or adventure books. 

Review & Commentary On The Starlight Caper By Josh Peters From Stellagama Publishing For The Terra Arisen Campaign Setting

 "It sounded easy enough: board a starship cruise liner, steal a statue, and make sure no one is the wiser until delivery. It turns out there was more to the Starlight job than sipping martinis and taking in the shows. I should have clued in once I saw the itinerary; or by the time I was on safari on Amaterasu. By the time I was in for thirty thousand at the casino on Belobog, it was too late. Well, it was a fun trip either way. Five out of five stars. Would cruise again."

The Starlight Caper is a self-contained mini-campaign for a group of adventurers looking for a high-stakes payoff on board a starship filled with glamor, intrigue, and excitement. Intended for use with Stellagama Publishing’s Terra Arisensetting, Referees can adapt the Starlight Caper for use in their own science fiction campaigns as well.

The Starlight Caper by Josh Peters for the Cepheus Engine or  Cepheus Deluxe.'s Terra Arisen campaign setting. It does exactly what it says on the tin.By that 'The Starlight Caper' is a full blown 100 page 2d6  mini campaign! And it puts the PC's right into the center of the action right out of the gate. This campaign harkens back to the original 'These Stars Are Ours' campaign with some great ship and artwork throughout 'The Starlight Caper'. 
And everything that can go wrong will for the PC's in this campaign from solidly done full blown NPC encounters to ship to ship weirdness. 'The Starlight Caper' has a bit of everything for the 2d6 traditional Science Fiction players and DM. 
The writing here is well done, the layout very nice, the font good on the eyes. and lots and lots of detail which is welcome in an adventure like this. The cartography is solidly done again good on these details. 
The action if done right would run very well from what I've read especially given that The Starlight Caper is written for the Cepheus Deluxe engine. And this adventure really plugs into The Terra Arisen campaign setting. 

So what makes 'The Starlight Caper' so great?! Well given the fact that we've got a full blown 2d6 mini campaign with an orientation towards action and real danger. It's a nice change up from some of the other  adventures that lately I've seen on the rpg market. The mini campaign within a hundred pages as an ongoing game has several advantages. One it can be played within a couple of months, two the mini campaign can be played as an ongoing campaign saga, and three there's enough here to keep the player's attention focused on the campaign itself. 

The Starlight Caper focuses in on the mission at hand and there's some real possibilities for NPC/PC interaction here. And the balance is certainly in the PC's favor but stupid decisions could easily get PC's killed. And there's the fact that the history of the campaign setting does have a solid impact on the adventure's outcome. And within 'The Starlight Caper' there's some room for real adventure and 2d6 hijinks. The balance in the encounters is solid and there's also room for a happy ending if the PC's play thier cards right!