Rocket Séance

Ulrich von Bek - An NPC for Elric! or Stormbringer

2010-05-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

Ulrich von Bek is from my favorite book by Michael Moorcock, The Warhound and the World's Pain. I wrote him up here, first for an Amber Diceless Roleplaying session at an Ambercon (which turned out to be, inadvertently, the funniest session of any game I've ever played in, run, or even heard about).

I later re-used some of the material for a book I was going to write for Chaosium called The Eternal Champion. That book would have covered all of the manifestations of the Eternal Champion and provided guidance for running Eternal Champion player characters in huge, sprawling multiverse-level adventure.

The book was canceled very early, when Chaosium decided they didn't want to do any more Eternal Champion material. They asked me instead to work on the Basic Roleplaying core rulebook, which turned out to be a much larger task than I'd have imagined.

Captain Ulrich von Bek I
Count, Noble, Mercenary, Warhound of Europe, Eternal Champion

A captain in one of the many armies that swept across Europe during the Thirty Years War, Count von Bek was a noble and scholar who gave up academics for military service in 1625. He excelled in the military life, earning from his men the nickname of “Krieghund” (Warhound). In 1631, von Bek was overwhelmed with the unholy cruelty and carnage of the war, so he deserted his company. It had also contracted plague, making the decision even more prudent.

Companionless and without direction, he found a mysterious castle in the great Thüringen Forest. Entering, he met the castle’s keeper, a beautiful woman named Sabrina, and they shortly fell into a sort of love. Then Sabrina introduced Ulrich to her own master, the lord of the castle... none other than Lucifer, the Lord of Hell. Rather than being a monster, Lucifer asked von Bek for a favor.

Lucifer explained to von Bek that he sought some communication with God, as he had been left in Hell without guidance, and wanted to know his Maker again. To speak with God, he would need a physical representative of God’s mercy on Earth, an item known as the Cure to the World’s Pain… the Holy Grail.

Lucifer explained that von Bek’s actions in the previous six years had guaranteed him a place in Hell, so von Bek could earn his soul back from the devil himself. Having fallen in love with Sabrina, Ulrich agreed to Lucifer’s terms: find the Holy Grail, and his and Sabrina’s souls would be released from their hellish destination. von Bek was given a set of magical books, a compass to guide him through supernatural as well as mortal realms, a brass flask full of a restorative healing liquid, and a ring to remember Sabrina by.

von Bek has since set out across Europe, seeking the Grail. He is aided by a young soldier, a Muscovite and Kazak named Grigory Petrovitch Sedenko. The two soldiers have adventured for almost a year now and have grown no closer to finding the Cure for the World’s Pain.

Physically, von Bek is taller than average, handsome, slim and in good shape, and has light brown hair and a beard. His clothing and gear is all of fine make, and he carries himself with a noble—if somewhat stiff and dignified—demeanor.

Chaos 127, Balance 65, Law 22

STR 15 CON 14 SIZ 14 INT 17 POW 16
DEX 15 APP 15 HP 14 MP 16

Damage Bonus: +1d4

Weapons: Rapier 179%, 1d6+1+1d4
Poignard 127%, 1d6+1d4
Dagger 133%, 1d4+2+1d4
Stiletto 98%, 1d4+1d4
Wheel-lock Pistols (x2) 171%, 1d10+2 (12 meter range, takes 2 rounds to load)
Musket 132%, 2d6+2 (40 meter range, takes 2 rounds to load)

Armor: Half Plate d8+1 (helm on)

Spells: Ulrich von Bek was given several grimoires by Lucifer. While he can use them with some proficiency, he does not know how to cast spells without them. He does not use these books lightly, or often. With his grimiores, von Bek he has a 30% chance of finding a spell appropriate to his needs. The following listed spells are those he is most familiar with: Pox, Refutation, Soul of Chardros, Summon Demon, Summon Elemental, Undo Magic, Ward, and Witch Sight.

Skills: Art (Dance) 35%, Bargain 75%, Climb 65%, Conceal Object 75%, Disguise 35%, Dodge 85%, Evaluate 70%, Fast Talk 65%, Hide 60%, Insight 75%, Jump 55%, Listen 80%, Million Spheres 15%, Move Quietly 40%, Natural World 35%, Navigate 40%, Oratory 35%, Other Language (English) 35%, Other Language (French) 45%, Other Language (Greek) 35%, Other Language (High German) 85%, Other Language (Italian) 40%, Other Language (Latin) 75%, Other Language (Polish) 35%, Own Language (German) 100%, Physick 50%, Pick Lock 15%, Potions 15%, Repair/Devise 65%, Ride 95%, Sailing 25%, Scent/Taste 25%, Scribe 45%, Search 60%, Swim 45%, Throw 60%, Track 20%, Trap 15.

Multiplanar Maps and Compass: Given by Lucifer to aid von Bek in his quest, these are of the world, both the known and unknown areas of it. They depict higher and lower planes of existence, supernatural realms, and other mysterious places. The compass works throughout these realms, guiding him to the many entrances and exits to these supernatural worlds he may find himself in.

Healing Elixir: This small brass flask, also a gift from Lucifer, is a powerful healing and restorative potion. There are d6+4 doses in it. When imbibed, each dose heals 3d4 hit points, doubles the normal healing rate for the day, and restores lost Magic Points as if the drinker had rested an entire day. If the drinker is at negative hit points, the elixir has no effect.

"Soft Cargo" (A Scenario for the Serenity RPG, circa 2005)

2010-02-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

This is a scenario I sketched out when the Serenity RPG from Margaret Weis Productions came out back in 2005. It was never intended for publication, but I provide it here as an example of the way I prep games. I've never run it as written, as players end up forcing me to think on my feet and modify the plans accordingly.

Soft Cargo - A Serenity RPG Adventure
Characters are all on Ezra (p216) in one of the many trade centers on the planet’s surface. This one is on a huge old abandoned highway, with a landing strip near the end.

Give each of the players a jobber sequence, asking them what they're doing and why.

It has been a short while since their last job, and the last one went bad when some time-sensitive cargo went bad due to engine problems. They owe him something like 10,000 credits for the spoiled cargo. They’ve gotten a bit into debt with a rough customer named Quarrie (didn’t know it was his cargo). Quarrie is a Syndicate crime lord who uses Santo as his base. Part of the reason the players are here in the shadow of Niska’s orbital is that it’s a bit safer hiding from one crime lord under the nose of one crime lord.

A job has been arranged by a go-between named Fletcher, and the PCs are waiting for the arrival. Supposedly, it’s both legitimate and high-paying, putting characters en route to St. Albans (p218).

There’re customers as well, two passengers heading that way, each paying 50-85 credits:

A miner named Windham Teague who’s got a claim on the planet (Settler Father stats on page 182)
A medical scientist named Dr. Bennett Howe, going to the medical facility and knows a little bit about what’s going on there. He is unaware of the cargo’s destination and is innocent (Trauma Surgeon, p193).

When the job arrives, it is a group of three marshals. Their names are Sergeant (Garret) Boyd, Agent (Abram) Ives, and Agent (Claran) Reeve. Their stats are equivalent to Disillusioned Officer (p179) and Young and Green (p179). They’re leading a modified hovermule with a dozen women locked down, comatose. Boyd tells the PCs that these are indentured servants, en route to St. Albans to work out their debt to the Consortium (p203). There is no backing down from this deal, as he shows the badge and effectively tells them that the ship is under his control. The pay has been arranged at 8,000 credits for the trip, less than normal passenger rate, but Boyd tells them that they’ll be under neural inhibitors for most of the trip and no drain on anything other than resources. Let the PCs do their suspecting.

The truth is that the females are convicts and this is a prisoner transfer. They don’t know what sinister purpose the marshals have for them. The marshals are beyond their jurisdiction, and this is not sanctioned by the Alliance.

Takeoff is normal. Of course, en route, something goes wrong. Exploit any/all of the conflicts, especially with the marshals. The scientist keeps to himself, and the miner is a genial, friendly fellow.

First, the miner is not what he seems. He’s a spy for Quarrie, and during the flight (day one, right out of Niska’s sphere of influence), he signals the crime lord to come and get the PCs. They have about 15 minutes to figure it out. He’s got a long range commpack with his gear. An attack craft comes to meet them – p118, identical to an Alliance Short Range Enforcement Vessel. The thugs try to board (Hired Guns, p186). They’re led by a badass named Gentry (tough-ass Bully Boy, p185). In the middle of it, one of the thugs pulls a weapon and a stray shot damages the hover mule. Roll on the technobabble chart on page 164 for exactly what happens. The marshals don’t want to get involved.

Two of the females are freed. They are named Aldene Toffler and Zillah Pearce. Both are hardened criminals, but of course, they’re beautiful and resourceful. Aldene is a con artist (p186) from the Core, and Zillah a former criminal mastermind (p185, Queen of the Dungheap), from Paquin. Naturally, they’ll try to overcome the ship’s crew and take over the ship, but only on day 3, just before arrival. They’ll be put in lockdown, but will escape and attack (and kill) one of the marshals, maybe two if the PCs don’t intervene in time. One of them (Aldene) is going to try to remain out of custody, trying to convincing the captain and crew that she didn’t sign up for anything and this is wrong. If given the chance, they may use a shuttle as a decoy or a getaway vessel.

When the ship is near St. Albans, the marshals announce a change of plans. They’ve set a shaped explosive charge on the engine, and have a gunman in the cabin with the pilot. They tell the crew that their ship will actually be going to a small asteroid orbiting St. Albans, on a loose trajectory that puts them into Reaver space. The scientist passenger objects, but he’s actually going there as well, the marshals tell him. The facility is owned and operated by Blue Sun, and is sanctioned and aided by the Alliance.

On arrival, they find the base empty, creepy, and full of dead bodies (hidden). The women being transported to the base were going to be traded to the Reavers for non-interference. None of them are keen on that, and even the scientist is a bit shocked. Unfortunately, the base has been emptied and most folks are dead… only two of the scientists are left (identical to Howe), named Noah Smalley and Olin Lucas, and they say that the Reavers attacked and are coming back…

Meanwhile, the hangar doors are damaged due to problems in the command room (perhaps the female criminals, or the marshals?). There are a dozen or so Reavers left on the base, and they’re mad, and are hiding in the fringes of the base, to be discovered later.

Their ship must get out before more Reavers arrive. How will it play out?

Corwin's Demon Steed Shask (An Article for Amber Diceless Roleplaying, circa 1999)

2009-08-30T08:28:00.001-07:00

Corwin's Demon Steed Shask

"I told you when you chose me, Lord Corwin, that I could bear you farther than any mount by day. But at night I become an unmoving serpent, hardening to stone and cold as a demon's heart, thawing come dawn."

Shask, in Blue Horse, Dancing Mountains, by Roger Zelazny

Corwin shows up one of Zelazny's post-Chronicles of Amber short stories in the company of a demon horse called Shask, a mount lent him by Merlin. Shask proves to be a creature of exceptional qualities and a worthy addition to the distinguished steeds ridden by the nobles of Amber.

Shask is described as both a Creature and as a Demon (using Shadow Knight's system for creating Demons), depending on which version the Gamemaster is comfortable with.

Shask, Mount of Chaos [21 Points] - A demonic mount of the Courts of Chaos, Shask appears normally as a blue stallion, several hands higher than a normal horse, lean with white hooves and a mane of pearl-silver hair. Able to speak and actually quite intelligent, Shask knows the geography of the Courts of Chaos well, and has some familiarity with the workings of Shadow. However, until its association with Corwin, Shask had never undergone a Hellride.

Immense Vitality [4 Points]
Engine Speed [4 Points]
Tireless, Supernatural Stamina [4 Points]
Combat Training [1 Point]
Invulnerable to All Conventional Weapons [2 Points] - At night only.
Able to Speak and Sing [2 Points]
Shadow Path [2 Points]
Alternate Named & Numbered Forms [2 Points] - In addition to the form of a horse, it can shape shift into a lizard, and 'into a great dragon-headed, winged, feathered serpent.' Shask also has to transform to the serpent form at night, hardening to the consistency of stone.

Shask, Demonic Steed [21 Points] - Merlin asked Shask, a minor Demon of Chaos, to aid his father, Corwin, in his trip back to Amber. Shask is intelligent, has extensive knowledge of Chaos, Demons, and Shadow. It is interested in broadening that knowledge to include Amber, hence its agreement to bear Corwin on his voyage.

Chaos Psyche [Zero Points]
Amber Strength [3 Points]
Demon Rank Endurance [10 Points]
Chaos Warfare [Zero Points]
Impervious to Damage [2 Points] - At night only.
Extra Hard Natural Weapons [Zero Points]
Permanent Resistance to Order [4 Points]
Sense Shadow [1 Point]
Named & Numbered Forms [Zero Points] - As above.
Magical Intuition [1 Point]
No Servitude [*1 Point] - Shask chose to serve Corwin out of its own interest in bearing a Prince of Amber, and is not bound into service in any way.

Two Swords (An Article for Amber Diceless Roleplaying, circa 1999)

2009-08-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

The following two weapons are for use in Amber Diceless Roleplaying games:

The Vorpal Sword
The Cat moved to a rack behind the bar and reached high up on the wall to where a strange weapon hung, shimmering and shifting in shadow. He lowered the thing and slid it along the bar; it came to rest before Luke.

"Better have the Vorpal Sword in hand, that's all I can say."

Luke laughed, but I stared fascinated at the device which looked as if it were made of moth wings and moonlight.

Sign of Chaos, by Roger Zelazny

The Vorpal Sword [8 Points]- A weapon out of Lewis Carroll's poem Jabberwocky, Merlin used the Vorpal Sword twice; once against a Fire Angel while in the Carroll-inspired Wonderland bar trap, and again against a mirrorworld creature known as a guisel. Soft and glowing with a pale dusty light, it folds into a more compact form. Sharper than razors and somehow flexible, snicker-snacking its way through most matter, living and otherwise, the Vorpal Sword is deceptively deadly.

There is a deposit on the blade, and the hourly rate for vorping is $20, administered by the vanishing Cat which inhabits the Wonderland bar.

Destructive Damage [8 Points] - Able to vorp through even the tougest materials, including armor "Impervious to Damage," the sword leaves surgically clean, razor-fine wounds rather than tearing tissue or shattering bone.

Werewindle
It was a long and lovely gold-chased sheath of dark green, and the hilt of the blade which protruded from it appeared to be goldplated, with an enormous emerald set in its pommel. I took hold of it and drew it partway, half expecting it to wail like a demon on whom one has dropped a balloon filled with holy water. Instead, it merely hissed and smoked a little. And there was a bright design worked into the metal of its blade -- almost recognizable. Yes, a section of the Pattern. Only this excepting was from the Pattern's end, whereas Grayswandir's was from a point near the beginning.

I sheathed it, and on an impulse I hung it from my belt. His old man's sword would make a neat coronation present for Luke, I decided.
. . .
He took it into his hands, examined the sheath, turned it over many times. Then he drew it partway, and it hissed again and sparks danced along its tracery and a bit of smoke drifted upward from it.

"It really is!" he said. "Werewindle, the Daysword -- brother to the Nightblade, Grayswandir!"

Merlin and Luke in Knight of Shadows, by Roger Zelazny

Werewindle [29 Points] - The sister sword to Corwin's Grayswandir, Werewindle, known as the Daysword, comes from the time before there was an Amber. Somehow containing a segment of the Pattern (or perhaps the other way around as Corwin's ghost hints in Prince of Chaos), this blade hisses and sparks, flowing "like molten gold." Like Corwin's blade, Werewindle was forged on the steps of Tir-na Nog'th, though in the bright light of the sun. It is currently in the possession of Luke, Brand's son.

Notes: One open issue is how the later books of the Chronicles mention that Grayswandir and Werewindle are connected to the spikards. Furthermore, no mention is given to the fact that Bleys also bears a Patten-touched blade. It is possible that Bleys' unnamed Pattern blade is, in fact, Werewindle, and that possession passed between he and his closest brother Brand over the years. Perhaps Werewindle was the prize in numerous games or the fulcrum of many arguments. It is also interesting that Bleys entered Brand's quarters to pass a spikard along to Merlin. Could he have left Werewindle there for Merlin to find? Perhaps he intended it to make its way into the hands of Luke as a peace offering of sorts?

Destructive Damage [8 Points] - The touch of the Pattern contained in Werewindle's metal will ignite the blood of creatures of Chaos, causing them to sustain massive damage.
Able to Speak [1 Point] - This does not represent so much the blade's actual intelligence as its ability to communicate with humans.
Extraordinary Psychic Sense [4 Points] - Werewindle can sense the presence and identity of those around it, and can communicate telepathically throughout Shadow.
Shadow Seek [4 Points] - Werewindle is able to move independently through Shadow, or facilitate its being in the right place at the right time via "coincidence" and suggestion. This might explain how Corwin's sister sword, Grayswandir "happened" to be in a tree, and why such a valuable artifact was left alone in the years following Brand's death, only to be found by Merlin as he was preparing to see Brand's son Luke.
Powered by Pattern [8 Points] - Like the 'Powered by Trump' artifact power, this artifact is able has qualities conferred by the Pattern, such as Pattern Defense and Sensitivity to Logrus. It can also be used against Broken Patterns or can be utilized in their repair.
Artifact of Destiny [4 Points] - This item is bound to the House of Amber, particularly the redhead lineage. Borne by Brand (and possibly Bleys), and now worn by Luke, Werewindle figures heavily into Amber's destiny, as does its sister blade Grayswandir, and as such it will always find its way into the hand of a rightful wielder.

Rocket Séance Activated!

2009-08-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Who Am I?
My name is Jason Durall and I'm a 40ish computer game designer and writer (past titles have included Shadowbane, Star Trek Online, Blackstar, Wizard101, and now I'm working on an unannounced game for KingsIsle Entertainment). Prior to entering the games industry I was a web designer and desktop publisher in the medical information technology industry, and prior to that I taught ESL in Japan for around six years. I'm married and have a daughter, a cat, and a dog. I live in arid Austin, Texas, though I identify as a Pacific Northwesterner. That's probably more information than anyone needs. I have another blog that's for personal stuff and news.

What Have I Written?
I've also been writing in the pen-and-paper industry for almost 18 years in a variety of capacities, from early fanzines and magazine articles to published games, adventures, and sourcebooks, to exclusive web content. I've playtested and even done time as a proofreader. I've written for Chaosium Inc., Phage Press, Guardians of Order, Margaret Weis Productions, Mongoose Publishing, and a few others, and have contributed in some fashion to a veritable ton of game lines such as Amber Diceless Roleplaying, Bureau 13: Stalking the Night Fantastic, Basic Roleplaying, Battlestar Galactica, Conan the Roleplaying Game, Dragon Lords of Melnibone, Elric!, A Game of Thrones, Jeremiah the Roleplaying Game, Kult, The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, Paranoia, Serenity, Silver Age Sentinels, Stormbringer, and maybe a few others here and there.

What's the Point?
This is my writing blog. It's been created exclusively as a venue for me to dump bits and pieces of writing that were published long ago and forgotten, or were never published for various reasons. Some of it may be for games no one plays any more, while other bits of info may be relevant. It'll be a grab-bag of stuff, posted and updated as frequently as I feel like doing so. I have an astonishing amount of old stuff stored away, so the well is in no danger of running dry.

What's It to Me?
Feel free to use this stuff in your games, if you can find any use for it. If you want to use it in something of your own, please show some courtesy and credit me. That's all I ask. If you're going to use some of it in a published work, contact me and ask permission.