Mutated Space Empire - The Relic - Actual Play

Tonight we've got the final part of the Mutated Empires One shot! the characters are aboard the Relic. A ship(so they think of the Space Gods)

The Relic is in deep orbit around Io. The PC's party of nine has breached the hull of the craft.



They've managed to get onto the first level of the craft where thousands of sleep pods surround them. The party has spread out & secured this level allowing the rest of the party to look for other exits, traps, etc. The design of the ship is some type of mymonic alloy. It transformed before their eyes into other shapes & strange functions. The party is being completely cautious because of several strange energy bursts that have been detected in the higher band EM range, several weird Gamma radiation bursts were also detected last game.
 If you wish to now more about this game you can read about it Here
Details Here
 Also some other bits Here
 A Few other points :

1. The Relic - The relic is in fact a living piece of technology & responses to the user's needs. The ship is in fact based on the one seen in the X Factor comic more details Here 
2. The party already has several pieces of technology from the Relic aboard their own ship. 
3. The party knows that they're not alone aboard 
4. There are also life forms aboard as well but these retreat away every time adventurers approach. 
5. The relic has been around since the First Host & it means its very very ancient 
6.   

1. 
   

More Interocitor Models & The Stellar Scope For Your Old School Space Opera

Incorporating greater advances than hitherto known in the field of electronicsThe Mantra For Unit #16

 Created by Unit # 16 the Interocitor has been the main stay of the Galactic community since 1952 subjective Earth Time.The Interocitor is an alien communications device with unusual and strange properties.

The Type V adds +2  to all attempts  involving quantum telecommunication across time and space

 The Type V may also: 

• Act as a Telecommunications device 
• The device can act as a space craft  autopilot while the crew is within hypersleep 
• Surveillance and security controller giving the operator the psionic abilities of Clairvoyance & Clairaudience across a 2 par sec area or 22 light years. There are possibly interference from Mental Barriers & the like.
• Directed energy weapon doing 1d4 points of damage to anything within a 60 foot radius of the device. The beam may be directed by another interocitor on the same frequency.
  The Interrocitor has a psionic strength of 15.

 

 According to Wiki : 

"The term interocitor itself, rather than referring to a specific device, likely refers to a general class of devices that share a common set of operating principles (similar to the term computer). This is inferred from the fact an interocitor is observed or described in many different roles:

• Telecommunications device
• Aircraft autopilot
• Surveillance and security controller
• Directed energy weapon

In the film, advanced physicist Cal Meacham first becomes aware of an interocitor when a book arrives at his lab titled Electronic Service, Unit #16. Inside is contained a bill of materials for the interocitor, describing it as, "incorporating greater advances than hitherto known in the field of electronics". From the specifications, Meacham opines, "There's no limit to what it could do. Laying a four-lane highway at the rate of a mile a minute would be a cinch."

Of the 2486 components comprising an interocitor, only three are mentioned by name in the film:

• Bead condenser (model #: AB-619)
• Cathermin tube with inindium complex of +4
• Intensifier disk

The instructions accompanying the components also caution that no interocitor part can be replaced, and to bear this in mind while assembling.

Once assembled and powered, Meacham places the intensifier disk into the right-hand control and rotates it 18 degrees counter-clockwise. Upon doing so, the telecommunication function of the interocitor is activated, and Meacham establishes contact with Exeter, the party responsible for sending him the device.

During their conversation, Meacham's lab assistant, Joe Wilson attempts to photograph the device, but is informed by Exeter that "Your camera will pick up nothing but black fog. Images on the interocitor don't register on film." " 

                                   We'll be talking about the the model V21 Model or Type V 

 

 

• Intensifier disk

The instructions accompanying the components also caution that no interocitor part can be replaced, and to bear this in mind while assembling.

 The Stellar Scope Model 234 
This incredible device allows one's mind to roam the universe  & beyond in a bizarre psionic dance of hyper dimensional viewing allowing one to peer into realms beyond human reckoning.
 The stellar scope is of Metaluna manufacture & has been in use for over 2000 Earth years.
The user gains :
Clairvoyance
Clairaudience
Dimensional Projection
All abilities function within a 100 light years of the space craft.
A navigator may direct the mind of the pilot controlling the device as they work in tandum to guide the craft using a variation of the Interrocitor 

 

The Astral Transmitigation Galactic Map
The ATGM is allows one to peer into the void between the stars & with a successful wisdom roll to view any point within the local space time continuum allowing one to know conditions, hazards, star density, & up to the second interstellar traffic conditions. The navigator may take no other actions during this time when using the ATGM. 

Still More Interrocitor Resources 
Fantastic Website For All Interrocitor related parts
 A brief summery of This Island Earth Here
The Interrocitor For Human Space Empires Here
 Players should beware when dealing with the Metalunas there are hazards Read about those Here

The Rite of The Q'AreRor're - The Stepping Of The Giants From The Unknown!

The Rite of The Q'AreRor're - The Stepping Of  The Giants From The Unknown


From beyond the pale of the Outer Darkness comes the Unknown Ones. This rite must be done with the utmost care lest the sorcerer's soul itself be lost to these creatures of darkness & alien forbidden technology The wizard must go to a ruined temple of  Law & gather 42 metal rods of the finest quality. He must bind these around the head of his victim while intoning the secret words of Kro.

The wizard activates the words of power within the mind of the victim as the specially prepared sacrificial dagger is plunged home. The victim will of course with his dying breath summon the Giants From The Unknown. with a song of binary language & mystical energy.
The Giants From The Unknown will arrive within 1d20 hours upon their strange prismatic astral crafts. Originally servants of the Star Gods they have been cast out by their former masters for strange reasons & destroyed by them whenever found.
 They will teach the summoner 1d4 spells of Law & weird forbidden super science powers from beyond the pale. There is a 30% of the knowledge being to much for the mind of the summoner however & they may be driven made by the experience. Unless a saving throw versus death is made then they will suffer from temporary insanity for 1d30 days & not remember the experience there after. 

The wizard may preserve the skull of the victim & use it 5 more times to summon the Giants From The Unknown. The head must be washed & bleached according to the ancient traditions of the Forbidden Scrolls of Altar Four.. 

The Q'AreRor're- The Giants From The Unknown 





# Appearing: 1-4
AC: 8
Move: 9/24
Hit Dice: 7
% In Lair: 60%
Treasure Type: H
These imposing monsters may be found within the confines of the vaults of interstellar space & upon the shores of some of the most remote corners of the universe. These imposing figures stand between 7 -10 feet in height & are dressed in strangely wrought space armor of green gold . This armor which gives off a harmless greenish radiation hides the creature (whatever they may be). They have an alien & complete utter devotion to law. Their strange glowing eye patches seem to bore into the very soul of those looking upon them. They communicate telepathically.
These giants have the strength of cloud giants but rarely if ever getting into physical combat. When encountered going about weird scientific & mystical experiments they may simply teleport away. However there is a 30% of them engaging in combat for their own alien reasons . They may  use twisted metal blasters of finely wrought star metals to blast the victims with radiation for 1d4 points of damage with a range of  60 yards.
Should they be slain  the monster within the armor will melt away within 1d6 rounds along with the armor leaving their equipment & alien implements behind.
Should a Charisma roll be made & a successful dialogue between a party & the giants be established there are ways of establishing communication.
 A wizard  should present them with  five metal rods from a ruined temple of  Law. They will circle a party five times & then answer five questions truthfully, honestly, & utterly. They will do this by pulling stray radio signals from the ether & communicate with all present. They will use telepathic communication as a last resort. The minds of lesser beings can be very frustrating to them.



Added Bonus

The Lizard Men of Subterranea For Crypts & Things

From The Wiki on Subterrnea: 

The Lizard Men of Subterranea are a race of humanoid lizards created as slaves to the Deviants. When the Deviants abandoned Subterranea, the Lizard Men of Subterranea grew into an underground society.

The Lizard Men of Subterranea traveled through a system of Earth's cage where one of their numbers became lost in the Himalaya Mountains. They sent a scout with a fur covering out to look for that operative where the Lizard Man in question was mistaken for a Yeti. The scout ended up coming across Victor Cartwright who was faking a documentary of a Yeti when he and his assistant Fred Cooper couldn't find the actual one. The scout took Victor underground with Fred in pursuit. When the Lizard Men planned to kill Victor in order to keep their society a secret, Fred came to Victor's rescue

STATS

Type: Reptilian Mutate Deviant Origin 

Hit Points: 3 

Attacks : Wicked Short Scimitar (1d8)

The Lizard men use left behind  Deviant technology such as blasters 1d4 with a 70 yard radius & 7 shots each.
The Blood hound missiles 1d6 points of damage plus ensnarement 

Saving Throw :16 

Special: Chameleon hiding ability for Scouts, Also climb sheer surfaces

Move:15 

Notes: 

For every 1d8 Lizardmen there will be 3rd level fighter as leader. For every 1d10 lizard men there is a 60% chance of a sorcerer of 4th level or higher. These leaders will tower over their lessers. Being 8 foot or larger. They have 1 or 2 more hit points each.
The lizard men are said to live for 1,000 year each & parties encountered will have 1d6 artifacts of Deviant technology.
 For more information on the lizard men can be found :
Lizard_Men_(Deviants)

Here
 Information on Subterranea Right
Here



This is simply a fan write up & in no way an infringement of the copyright holders. Thanks 

The Tanar Class Salvage Star Ship - An Upgrade Of The Icarus Design - For High Tech Mysticism & High Caliber Adventure

Your most exalted excellence as per your request we have acquired the upgrade space craft from the purchasing agent. She is a most intriguing craft sire. Her lines & handling are more inline with your tastes sire. These craft have been in operation for thousands of years & we have investigated at least three different dealers of these craft.
 As we have said else where these crafts may have originated upon Old Earth before the Atomic Wars sire. This model "The Tanar" holds between 3-9 crew members & given this design's record of service it is most impressive.
 The craft uses the same Contra gravitic generators as the Icarus design but these are built with a much more industrial application in mind. Their is some alpha particle & radiation venting for more long voyages but for your applications sire the craft are quite robust. These craft are quite sturdy & amazingly quick for a salvage vessel.
 Our own Contra gravitic systems may benefit from an upgrade of the sort we've seen in these craft. There are literally thousands of variations of these craft within the galactic community sire. In closing are my notes on those upgrades to our own craft 

Details about the Icarus can be found Right here!

See your Icarus & Tanar agent today!

The Tanar class ships use the latest in A.I. technologies allowing the vessel to be crewed by one within an emergency situation sire. The primary computer core is shut down & the systems return to the pilot's station 

The craft have 5  or more decks allowing the storage of salvage without disturbing the crew's life at all. 

There are at at least 23 different varieties of the Tanar class that have been produced. This one has the usual lines for the class but has the addition of Vishnu Contra gravitic pods pushing the craft into the Zeta spectrum of operation! This gives 50% more power to the system. 

The crew has a total of 8 sleeper pods on board as standard & additional room for a total of 12 enabling round the clock handling of duties. 

Advantages of The Tanar Class Break Down 

• Larger Contra Gravitic pods enabling faster response & handling time. 
• Better Drive systems & more power for those bigger jobs 
• 5 different beam/emitter systems giving a wider variety of job opportunities 
• Optional extra reactor unit for more systems check dealer for details 
• Matter/Transporter/ Teleporter systems -Industrial grade up to 2 1/2 tonnes of matter instantly at your finger tips 
• Little Junior science lab with stasis field for those rare specimens 
• There are 5 decks on the Tanar for all of your needs with room for expansion. 

Type: Tanar  Class Salvage Ship 

Crew :3-5 

Hit Points: 90 

Armor Class :6 unless optional force field installed 

Weaponry : Primary Zeta Cannons Light setting 1d4 
Medium 1d6 
Heavy 1d10 Laser cutters 1d4 

Proton slicers under craft 1d3 

Atomic emitters/beamers 1d8 
Range :1 light year complete 360 degree rotation around craft 
Reactor: Neutronic Beureullum Core Sphere II +3 to all engineering rolls 
Minor Drives : Anti gravitic Repulsion Systems +1 to all maneuvering & piloting rolls 
Major Drive Systems : Space Time Gate Generators +4 to Hyper Space 
+2 to for accessing Space & Star Gates 
Interrocitor Mark IV 
Stellar Scope V 

Psi Enhancement crystal rig enabling +2 to all navigation rolls but the navigator may not take any other actions 

2nd level Bio genesis lab 
Second level science stations same as the Icarus 

Additional levels may be customized according to the client's wishes 

 

Notes about the Tanar 

1. The Tanar is perfect for a larger group of players & I'm using this saucer for my Mutated Empires game with 9 people 
2. No one is completely sure where the design of the Icarus & Tanar models originated. They've been found throughout the universe on countless worlds.. Dm plot hook! 
3. There is a Red code  warning - There is a 1d4 radiation damage check that needs to be made to those standing within a 80 yard radius when the Tanar makes a landing. The owners of this blog are not responsible for any injuries sustained when using the time gate drive within your star system. Alien abductions, strange time related manifestations, etc these are all products of your imagination 

Meanwhile On Carcosa - The Temple Of The Space Gods

The Temple Of The Space Gods


The temple sits long abandon on the hill side deserted & mournful. Strange auroras circle run its tips & long abandon songs of alien origin fill its halls.
The place is haunted by the ghosts of travelers a million years dead & the lower levels are given over mutants, mad men, & worse.
The cold green flames still dance in the brazier in the center of the place & will flare yellow jale when they shall return & then shall the Old Ones know fear again!

I'm basing this temple upon a Bulgaria Propaganda Monument is "  Construction of the Russian Monument commenced in late 1974, and 27,000 volunteer workers toiled for four years to create both the imposing structure and the 400 square-metre platform on which it stands. More than 10,000 tonnes of concrete, and 1000 tonnes of armature iron were used to create the monument, which measures 23 metres tall and 48 wide. A great bronze cube was constructed in front of the monument, burning with an eternal flame until the fall of communism in 1989. The 15 metre wide “Staircase of Victors” includes a total of 305 steps up to the monument itself, and in the surrounding park more than 20,000 decorative trees were planted to represent fallen Soviet soldiers. A total of 180 floodlights were originally positioned to illuminate the monument at night, so that it would be visible even by ships far out in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, a public address system set up in the park played Symphony № 7 by the iconic Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, on constant repeat. " 

You can find everything you want to know about this incredible place right Here

 There are these temples all across the universe in my Mutated Empires campaign. Each housing an eternal flame of the Space Gods.
There are also further out posts in the Arctic regions of many planets that house these places

I would imagine that the spawn of the Ones would hunt anyone seeking these places out! You can find out more right Here

 Details from the Io9 article include the following :

Designed by architect Guéorguy Stoilov, more than 6000 workers were involved in its 7 year construction including 20 leading Bulgarian artists who worked for 18 months on the interior decoration. A small, compulsory donation from every citizen in the country formed a large portion of the funds required to build this impressive structure that was finally unveiled in 1981 on what was the 1300th anniversary of the foundation of the Bulgarian state.

The Temple Of The Space Gods Random Encounters 1d10 

1. A group of murmuring monks intoning their praises to the space gods.. They are only time phantoms echos of a distant past 
2. A pair of second level warriors blue & black dueling to the death. The space gods as their witnesses 
3. A robotic guardian carrying out its last orders faulty & attacking anything that comes its way. 4 hit points, AC7, claws & heat beam 1d3, 1d4 
4. A ghost lost to the void howling praises to the space gods & crying randomly 
5. A group of 1d10 Greys 3 hit points, AC8, armed with blasters 1d3 40 yard radius 
6. A group of student lost who were just teleported here. Predators are already closing in 
7. A unique spawn 5 hit points AC 7 1d8 acidic tendrils A cross between a gorilla & a snail multiple heads cursing the space gods 
8. A space hero 4th level come to worship & recruit adventurers for his cause 
9. A cleric on a pilgrimage ( a necromancer in disguise) looking for a book of spells 
10. A spawn of the Old Ones hunting adventurers. 6 hit points, AC6 (invisible), 1d4 claws..
     

These temples could be found anywhere literally where the hand of the Space Gods has touched! 

Gang Busters - Atomic Sunrise - An Encounter Idea For High Tech Mysticism & High Caliber Adventure

Years back when fourth edition was just starting to come out this game hit me square between the eyes literally . The box fell on me & I started to look into the game. Its very cinematic & the rules are great for what they do. The big problem I had back then was that the game wasn't OD&D. I couldn't get anyone to play. So rather then let such a great city go to waste its been sitting on the back burner for years. 
There are no megadungeons in Lakeshore city right? Wrong with a bit of creative thinking I've put a former salt mine in the city ala Detroit.. 

 Recently I've used the city with the salt mine in a weird Mutant Future game set during an alternative '30s after an apocalypse. This world is based on the ideas of the FallOut Series & Star Trek. Artifacts are going to be based on retro future technology, diesel punk tech, etc. This world is going into a Mutated Empires game I've recently run. This world will be coming up next week..

This is a perfect location to use with a place like Lake Front City. The perfect spot to stick in Lake Front City C.H.U.D or a mutant menace of your choosing. 

 So strap on your 

 Why use This Game 

Gang Busters has so much to offer a post apocalyptic game. From ready locations to vast tracks of possible relic locations & its not well known at all. Every Gamma World player has been through the ruins of Pitz Burke & they know the place inside.as well as out. Not so with Lake Front City. The place is perfect because its virgin turf.. Add in the salt mine & you good to go for a mega dungeon of doom. 

The mine is the perfect source of monsters, mystery, & molls. The place reeks of the old school charm

 The mine may have closed up but what sinister forces could be using the spaces down in the Earth.
The best source for the history of this Here

Salt mines are the perfect place to store that elusive artifact that is rarely seen in post apocaytic settings. Papers, paper goods, warehouses for book & the electronics that post apocalyptic games are famous for.
 
 Everything is controlled & I can guarantee that your party will encounter any number of security robots & droids with a retro punk flare.
 
 

This interview gives a nice overview of a storage facility & what you could expect to find in one of these locations Here

Lake Front City & Its Other Worldly Counterparts 

 Lake Front City is full of dames, gangs, & gangsters! It makes a perfect alternative Earth to visit. Seriously set your star ship crew down & convert the weapons over to Mutant Future! Bam instant example of Person's Rule in action.

The rival gangs, the mob bosses, & of course the book makes the location very comfortable to use. Players will be more then slightly off balance because while they might be familiar with Star Trek. Gang Busters offer alternative gangs, bosses, & adventure potential.

For added weirdness a dungeon master could add in the Lovecraftian monsters of Realms of Crawling Chaos just to add a degree of spice. The cultists & monsters might be taking advantage of the confusion. There might be another book rather then the "Chicago Mobs Of The Twenties" perhaps the Necronomicon

 In closing the sky is really the limit when it comes to opening the doors with the classic game Gang Busters
 Gang Busters In Other OSR Settings 

 


Lake Front City might be simply another level within the Metamorphis Alpha game. A fancy bit of window dressing for a relaxation world gone horribly wrong. The gangs, etc might simply be victims of memory enhancement gone horribly wrong. Everyone believes that this simply the way its supposed to be.
Mutant Future could use the setting as the basis from everything for a zombe Apocalypses to a lost planet whose population thinks its gangsters & molls are natural & normal.
Classic D&D style adventurers might wind up here from a random time warp or butchered spell. The   gangsters, G-men, & private eyes might be warped into the realm of Dungeons & Dragons with some very deadly consequences.
A sword & sorcery world like Crypts & Things offers some very interesting ideas from a Call of Cthulhu style game or even a straight up treasure hunt using the gangsters as both monster && reward.  
So strap on your tommy gun, roll up your mutations, & go to it the Chicago way! 

Gg'gothatthac Planar Knife & Its Legacy Of Madness

Gg'gothatthac Planar Knife 

A knife made from the dorsal spine of the Ihactsarlis species also known as a Tongue Ripper. The spine is polished telkinietically to a devilish psychic sheen by the blind monks of No'rerhand. The knife is then given the rite of the 12 words of the forbidden & foul. The knife is ready to be bound to its user in a ceremony of the 3rd equinox. A client is chosen from a list of more then 666 & then lots are drawn. 
The winner is notified telepathically & given the Binding Rite which takes more then seven hours. The knife & the user are now one. The knife may be used as a weapon doing 1d4 points of damage to invisible or intangible creatures. More over then not the knife is bonded to a wizard who may use the knife to curse the shadow of anyone whose blood touches the blade. The knife may also be used to cut the cord of an astral traveler after the owner enters a trance using the dreaded swamp Lotus. The user burns the lotus while his body guards watch over his tranced body for 12 hours. The user has a 60% of cutting the victims cord after the blade has tasted the victims blood 12 hours before.
 Should a Ihactsarlis ever encounter an owner of one of these blades they will stop at nothing to destroy both owner & blade. Since the creatures are only partially within this universe they may track a victim over 3 light years. They will stop at nothing to murder the fool who is bound to this genocidal weapon. Ihactsarlis  have 5 hit points, attack with claws that do 1d6 points of damage to anything within the local space time continuum. Anything that is astral or upon an alternative plane of existence will take 1/2 damage from their attacks unless save versus death is successful..
 The Gg'gothatthac is known to be used in over 22 different unholy rites & adds +2 to all such endeavors through the favor of the many unholy ones who look with favor upon the owner.. 

3 Geo-Front Cities For Your Old School Post Apocalyptic Mega-Dungeon

Far down in the levels below the ruins is another world just waiting to be plundered by your gang of mutant raiders from Mutant Future or Metamorphis Alpha. Dial back the technology level for these cities & stick them on the level of a  generation star ship & confuse the hell out of your players..



These cities offer lots of potential for any game really. The lonely streets can be the play ground of retro robots & A.I. engaged in serious century old warfare.. The PC's can stumble upon holy cults still worshiping & carrying out the rites of their ancestors. You can find these cities Here


 These retro looking cities look like they stepped out of the movie, " The Shape Of Things To Come", which is essentially where I'd stick them. Friends of mine have been playing the Fall Out 3 video game recently.  This always puts me in the mind of  the Darwin's World rpg which is Fall Out the role playing game. Yeah, yeah totally different story lines, etc, etc.  The point is that the retro alternative futures are in & these are just the kind of cities that would be perfect for those styles of games. Along with zeppelins & mini personal air planes, & jet packs all zipping over head. 



This wonderful blog has some of the number crunching involved in this weird retro future engineering nightmare. The earth, rock, & soil that would have to be moved would be incredible. Anyhow the whole mess can be read about here
Finally from Modern Mechanix magazine July 1934



ARE SKY SCRAPERS DOOMED!


 

You can read more about these fantastic retro future cities right here..Imagine 20 level mega dungeons extending down into the core of the mantle with every monster waiting to tear your party apart.
  

Retro  Future Geo Cities In Other Settings 

Don't think that these styles of cities have anything to offer your party of explorers in Mutant Future or Carcosa? Think again!
Some of the artwork within the Carcosa rule book makes it pretty damn clear that there are cities & ruins scattered across the face of the planet like so many ruined jewels. What waits below the surface? Perhaps art deco representations of Shub Niggurath & great Cthulhu?
I've mentioned the Fall Out games earlier in this blog entry. The genre is made from the remains of vaults & perhaps lost cities of incredible technology such as those seen in Metropolis or far worse.
The retro future that these cities represent can give the equal of Under Mount to your old school game. Need a strange colony upon a lost moon or other planetary body here you are. The underground is the limit with this sort of setting. Strap on your ray pistol, suit up your power armor, & take it to the underground. 

Ten Random Under City Encounters! Roll 1d10 

1. Cultists of the Blind & Decayed God #1d4 Hit Points 3 1d4 blasters 50 yard radius 
2. Giant Worms Of The Earth # 1d6 5 hit points Damage 1d4 Acidic Bite 
3. Eascaped Slaves fleeing for their lives through the dark 
4. 1d20 zombie workers 2 hit points each Armor Class 8 Bite 1d3 
5. Blind Mutant Warriors 2nd level. Armed with swords & Blasters 1d6 damage. Hunt by sonar sense 
6. Angry Genetic Experiment Escaped! #1 Hit Points 6 Armor Class 6 Damage 1d4 Poisonous Bite 
7. 1d4 # Snake Men Warriors 1st level with a 2nd level Lizard Man Wizard Armed with a blaster staff 1d4 damage. Full spells as well 
8. Party of Scientists looking for an escaped experiment willing to hire adventurers 
9. 1d6#  of Molemen warriors 3rd level looking for holy victims  for ancient foul gods 
10. The Mole Man 5th level wizard with an army of 1d20 monsters 4 hit points each looking for conquest! Very mad,dangerous, & foul! 

1.