The Australian Football League
The Dark Is Rising
FAE: The Dark is Rising
Draft 1.0 - August 19, 2013 - Blue Tyson
A Newbery Medal winning children's book series by Susan Cooper, with Arthurian, Celtic and Norse mythological and fantasy themes, set in England and Wales. The old theme of the struggle between Dark and Light, manipulating humanity from the outside.
A couple of prophetic poems foreshadow the events of the five book sequence.
The Dark is Rising
When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone.
Iron for the birthday, bronze carried long;
Wood from the burning, stone out of song;
Fire in the candle-ring, water from the thaw;
Six Signs the circle, and the grail gone before.
Fire on the mountain shall find the harp of gold
Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old;
Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea;
All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree.
Grail Poem
On the day of the dead, when the year too dies,
Must the youngest open the oldest hills
Through the door of the birds, where the breeze breaks.
There fire shall fly from the raven boy,
And the silver eyes that see the wind,
And the light shall have the harp of gold.
By the pleasant lake the Sleepers lie,
On Cadfan’s Way where the kestrels call;
Though grim from the Grey King shadows fall,
Yet singing the golden harp shall guide
To break their sleep and bid them ride.
When light from the lost land shall return,
Six Sleepers shall ride, six Signs shall burn,
And where the midsummer tree grows tall
By Pendragon’s sword the Dark shall fall.
Y maent yr mynyddoedd yn canu,
ac y mae’r arglwyddes yn dod.
(The mountains are singing, and the Lady comes.)
--Susan Cooper
CHARACTERS
Will Stanton
The youngest Old One
Recovering from serious illness hampered my development
Hard to remember all my siblings
Holidays get really conflicted
Ca +3
Cl +2
Fl +0
Fo +1
Qu +3
Sn +1
Merriman Lion
Legendary Old One field leader and family guardian
Made some serious personnel mistakes
I remind you or Merlin, do I?
Ca +1
Cl +2
Fl +3
Fo +2
Qu +1
Sn +0
Simon Drew
Oldest child and bit of a sailor
Has a sister and a brother
Holidays get really conflicted
My great uncle is more than he seems
Ca +0
Cl +1
Fl +2
Fo +3
Qu +2
Sn +1
Jane Drew
Middle child can see both sides
Two brothers is plenty
Holidays get really conflicted
My great uncle is more than he seems
Ca +3
Cl +2
Fl +1
Fo +0
Qu +2
Sn +1
Barney Drew
Youngest child is rather arty
Has a sister and a brother
Holidays get really conflicted
My great uncle is more than he seems
Ca +1
Cl +3
Fl +0
Fo +1
Qu +2
Sn +2
Bran Davies
Albino unaware Son of Pendragon
Dark bastards killed my dog
The magic sword is for me, immortality not so much
Ca +0
Cl +1
Fl +3
Fo +2
Qu +2
Sn +1
The Walker
Vagabond ragged ex-killswitch wreck
Immortality is a curse
Hawkin, Signbearer
Ca +3
Cl +1
Fl +2
Fo +1
Qu +0
Sn +2
The Black Rider
Dark Lord who prefers the direct approach
Join the Dark, won't you?
Ca +1
Cl +1
Fl +2
Fo +3
Qu +2
Sn +0
The White Rider
Dark Lord of disguise
Manipulator of children
Ca +2
Cl +3
Fl +0
Fo +1
Qu +1
Sn +2
NAMED CHARACTERS
The Lady
The most powerful Old One.
The Sleepers
A high quality group of knights from Arthurian Times.
Pendragon
King of the Britons, cf Bran's dad.
Farmer Dawson
An Old One local to Will's area.
John Wayland Smith
Old One who is probably the blacksmith of legend.
ARTIFACTS
The Six Signs
Circles quartered by crosses, each made of the named material: wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, stone.
The Grail
Complete with ancient secret writing.
The Harp
Magic negater and Sleeper controlling instrument.
The Crystal Sword
Eirias, a sword that flames when the Dark is around. In an invisible scabbard, often.
The Book of Grammarye
Must be read by an Old One like Will to gain access to all their powers. Protected in a human proof magical clock.
The Doors
A space-time warping Old One teleport portal.
Midsummer Tree
Blooming every several hundred years, the silver flower from which enables the holder to cast the opposition side out of Time.
MAGIC
Three types:
Old Magic - that of the Light and the Dark
The various agents of either sides can use their abilities in a variety of ways, including to hide their activities from humans. Generally to be approached as a Create Advantage.
Wild Magic - from primal forces and entities
To gain access to aid or information here will generally require a Challenge.
High Magic - The most powerful kind
To gain access to aid or information here will generally require a Challenge and a Contest.
PLAYING THE GAME
Old Ones have superpowers but should not be using them when NPC humans will get in the way, keeping a lid on. Use will also attract enemies from the other side. In scenes this will mean the Old Ones are decoys and defenders as the humans try to achieve the actual goals as is often the case in the series.
Play Tweaks
1. A possible away to approach this is that being an Old One costs refresh and Old Magic stunts cost Fate Points to use, keeping the magic low key and Light-Dark conflicts short.
2. Give human characters extra refresh is another possibility to reflect their pivotal role. A bit Dresden Files either of these.
3. Instead, have Old One magic use of any significant level cost multiple Fate Points.
Strange Stars – Mulzakesh
FASERIP Strange Stars #FASERIP #strangestars
Mulzakesh
Biologic Vokun Minor House Lord
F: FB (2) Health: 20
A: FB (2)
S: TY (6) Karma: 40
E: GD (10)
R: GD (10) Resources: IN (40)
I: EX (20)
P: GD (10) Popularity: EX (20)
POWERS:
Regeneration : Gd (10)
Recovery : Gd (10)
Flying Chair: Flight (2)
Limitation: Endurance is Shift(0) for purposes of Movement only
TALENTS:
Diplomacy
Espionage
Finance
CONTACTS:
Katapaxu
Vokun business
Circus trade missions
Ibglibdishpan subordinates
Click to access 142933-sample.pdf
http://www.gratisgames.webspace.virginmedia.com/faserip.html
http://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/50837/Four-Color-System-Core-Rules?filters=0_0_31808_0_0
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/142933/Strange-Stars
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYFP4kZ9aWQ/U8EdtlpfvnI/AAAAAAAAXhg/h4Z23F-r3iU/w513-h658-no/SS-layout.jpg
Burn Notice
FATE: Burn Notice
Draft 1.0 August 21, 2013 – Blue Tyson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_Notice
IMDB
A top level CIA field agent is burned and left to survive in Miami in the middle of a set of complicated layers of plots and schemes and black operations. He starts to uncover what and who is going on while working as a private investigator/troubleshooter to get enough cash for yoghurt, car repairs and beer. Things progress to getting him back in and his friends in and out of a lot of explosive trouble.
Michael Westen
I used to be a spy, until I got Burned
Trigger-happy Ex-Girlfriend
Friend who used to inform on me to the FBI
Family, if you’re desperate
I burned a spy I met along the way
If I worked with them, they probably want to get me killed
+4 Deceive
+3 Crafts, Notice
+2 Burglary, Drive, Fight, Lore, Provoke, Will
+1 Athletics, Contacts, Physique, Rapport, Shoot, Stealth
Stunts
+2 to come up with out This Is the Only Way It Can Work, quickly
+2 boost usable in investigation planning if there is single serve yoghurt available
+2 to making deals with bad guys to get friends out of trouble or coffins
+2 to making spy tools out of stuff lying around the house as long as it can be narrated in second person
F: Excellent +2
A: Excellent +2
S: Typical +0
E: Good +1
R: Excellent +2
I: Remarkable +3
P: Excellent +2
Po: Good +1
Re: Excellent +2
Fiona Glennane
Explosive Irish exile
Burned spy boyfriend co-dependency
I’ve got Michael’s back
+4 Crafts
+3 Drive, Shoot
+2 Contacts, Lore, Notice, Will
+1 Athletics, Burglary, Deceive, Fight, Provoke, Stealth
Stunts
+2 to coming up with Improvised Explosive Devices immediately
+2 to sourcing military explosives
F: Good +1
A: Excellent +2
S: Typical +0
E: Excellent +2
R: Good +1
I: Excellent +2
P: Remarkable +2
Po: Poor -1
Re: Excellent +2
Sam Axe
Ex-Navy Seal Ex-FBI informant
Mohito and beer lover
Spies: Just A Bunch of Bitchy Little Girls
Hi, I’m Chuck Finley
I feel naked without a Hawaiian Shirt
+4 Shoot
+3 Fight, Will
+2 Contacts, Investigate, Physique, Shoot
+1 Deceive, Notice, Provoke, Rapport, Stealth
Stunts
+2 to get background info on adversaries from FBI contacts
+2 boost usable in investigation planning if there is enough beer
F: Remarkable +3
A: Good +1
S: Good +1
E: Remarkable +3
R: Typical +0
I: Excellent +2
P: Remarkable +3
Po: Poor -1
Re: Typical +0
Jesse Porter
Burned counterintelligence expert
Fancies Michael’s ex-girlfriend
I know a guy
Is that the best you can do?
Not the car!
+4 Contacts
+3 Deceive, Notice
+2 Investigate, Lore, Rapport, Physique, Provoke
+1 Burglary, Drive, Fight, Shoot, Stealth, Will
F: Excellent +2
A: Good +1
S: Good +1
E: Excellent +2
R: Good +1
I: Excellent +2
P: Good +1
Po: Typical +0
Re: Good +1
Madeline Westen
Mother, grandmother and volunteer secret agent
I have to look after my grandson
Michael, they need your help!
I need a cigarette
Next time, I’ll shoot you
+3 Empathy
+2 Rapport, Provoke
+1 Deceive, Drive, Notice
F: Poor -1
A: Poor -1
S: Poor -1
E: Good +1
R: Typical +0
I: Excellent +2
P: Excellent +2
Po: Typical +0
Re: Typical +0
Named non-bad guy NPCs
Harris and Lane
FBI agent watchdogs and occasional allies.
Barry Burkowski
Metrosexual money launderer.
Sugar
The ex-next door drug dealer.
Nate Westen
Dead wastrel brother.
Veronica
Sam’s sugar mummy.
ADVENTURES
Get the characters arm-twisted into solving a longer spy thriller for shadowy operatives and Management. During this longer milestone, troubleshoot some smaller, local problem like assisting victim of a fraud ring, drug dealer, criminal corporation, etc. Bad guy High Concepts are given to you onscreen during episodes if you want to borrow some of those. Make the players pressed for time trying to work on two or three plots at once.
Athletics
Burglary
Contacts
Crafts
Deceive
Drive
Empathy
Fight
Investigate
Lore
Notice
Physique
Provoke
Rapport
Resources
Shoot
Stealth
Will
Strange Stars – Stella Starlight
FASERIP Strange Stars
Stella Starlight
Biologic starship captain
F: GD (10) Health: 50
A: GD (10)
S: GD (10) Karma: 50
E: EX (20)
R: GD (10) Resources: Rm (30)
I: EX (20)
P: EX (20) Popularity: Ty (6)
POWERS:
Slug Pistol : Gd (10)
– Has configurable smart ammo
Bracer Computer : +1 CS on Reason recall FEATs
Starship Motherless Child (Freighter):
– Control Rm(30) Speed Class 5000 (5000) Body Rm(30) Protection Rm(30)
TALENTS:
Leadership
Pilot
Guns
CONTACTS:
Circus Pilot Sorority
Click to access 142933-sample.pdf
http://www.gratisgames.webspace.virginmedia.com/faserip.html
http://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/50837/Four-Color-System-Core-Rules?filters=0_0_31808_0_0
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/142933/Strange-Stars
Fate Accelerated American Football
A bit of a riff on Statis Pro/Strat-O-Matic.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KTReFdgOknx3XyuogkbQlZcILf6WVM0zyTfMGsDsFtA/edit
Strange Stars – Siana Elizon
FASERIP Strange Stars #FASERIP #strangestars
Siana Elizon
Biologic Instrumentality Special Operative
F: GD (10) Health: 36
A: GD (10)
S: TY (6) Karma: 60
E: GD (10)
R: EX (20) Resources: RM (30)
I: EX (20)
P: EX (20) Popularity: EX (20)
POWERS:
Concealable Laser Pistol : Gd (10)
TALENTS:
Diplomacy
Espionage
Guns
Law
Martial Arts D
CONTACTS:
Instrumentality Government
League Diplomats
Click to access 142933-sample.pdf
http://www.gratisgames.webspace.virginmedia.com/faserip.html
http://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/50837/Four-Color-System-Core-Rules?filters=0_0_31808_0_0
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/142933/Strange-Stars
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnQHNQQ3IJE/VB9s0HZftII/AAAAAAAAY5I/b5ruXUq6iu8/s1600/strange%2Bstars_instrumentality%2Bsample.jpg
4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnQHNQQ3IJE/VB9s0HZftII/AAAAAAAAY5I/b5ruXU
Traveller Character Professions Explanation and Notes
http://flynnwd.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/missing-traveller-ogc-career-paths.html
The core career paths from Classic Traveller:
Army
Navy
Marines
Merchant
Scout
Other
The career paths added to Classic Traveller via the Citizens of the Imperium supplement:
Barbarian
Belter
Bureaucrat
Diplomat
Doctor
Flyer
Hunter
Noble
Pirate
Rogue
Sailor
Scientist
The core career paths from MegaTraveller:
Army
Barbarian
Belter
Bureaucrat
Diplomat
Doctor
Flyer
Hunter
Law Enforcer
Marine
Merchant
Navy
Noble
Pirate
Rogue
Sailor
Scientist
Scout
The core career paths from Traveller T20:
Academic
Army
Barbarian
Belter
Marines
Mercenary
Merchant
Navy
Noble
Professional
Rogue
Scout
Traveller
There are only 9 base classes – Academic, Barbarian, Belter, Mercenary, Merchant, Noble, Professional, Rogue, and Traveller. Then there’s 4 “service classes,” Army, Navy, Marines, and Scouts. And there’s three unexciting prestige classes, TAS Field Reporter, Big Game Hunter, and Ace Pilot.
TAS Field Reporter
Big Game Hunter
Ace Pilot
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10077.phtml
The core career paths from Mongoose Traveller:
Agent
Army
Citizen
Drifter
Entertainer
Marine
Merchant
Navy
Nobility
Rogue
Scholar
Scout
Given the commonalities, I am inclined to start with the following core career path list:
Academic (Doctor, Scholar, Scientist)
Central Security Service (Agent, Law Enforcer)
Colonist (Barbarian, Citizen, Hunter, Professional)
Merchant House (Merchants)
Public Service (Bureaucrat, Diplomat, Noble)
Republic Rangers (Scouts)
Stellar Navy (Navy, Marines)
System Defense (Army, Flyers, Sailors)
Traveller (Belter, Drifter, Rogue)
https://web.archive.org/web/20090206015503/http://web.tampabay.rr.com/gsvenson/mtcg.html
Notes on non-Standard Human Careers:
Attorney:
Civilian career adapted from TNE. The requirement is that you
have graduated from Law School.
Technical Priesthood:
Government career adapted from TNE. The requirement is for the
homeworld to have TL of Pre-Industrial.
Entertainer:
Civilian career adapted from TNE. No special requirements.
Farmer:
Civilian career adapted from TNE. No special requirements.
Wealthy Traveller:
Civilian career adapted from TNE. The requirement is that the Soc
must be at least 9.
Journalist:
Civilian career adapted from TNE. The requirement is for the
homeworld to have TL of at least Industrial.
IRIS:
Base on article in Challenge #34. Requirements are that the
character be Imperial with Soc between 5 and A. Also, Str & End must
be at least 5 and Dex must be at least 7, Int & Edu must be at least A
or Str, End, Int & Edu must be at least 8 and Dex must be at least 9.
Spica books
so spica character book 1 has these :-
Adventurer:
Bounty Hunter:
Clergy:
Colonist:
Corporate Citizen:
Militant Religious:
Space Patrol:
Worker:
Tom Tyson
3 Nov 2013
Career Book 2
Athlete:
Chancer:
Cosmonaut:
Enforcer:
Insurgent:
Media Practitioner:
Mystic Warrior:
Politician:
Port Authority:
Prisoner:
Puppeteer:
Secret Police:
Slave:
Tom Tyson
3 Nov 2013
Career Book 3
Assistant
Broker
Field Researcher
Free Trader
Inheritor
Journalist
Mariner
Merchant Marine
Physician
Psionic Guild
Renaissancer
Scientist
Wastelander
Different Worlds 15
Also, I use Paul Montgomery Crabaugh’s “More Citizens” article from Different Worlds #15 (he adds cavalry, artillery, technicians, engineers, reporters, and citizens).
I’ve used point buy for years — using Jeff Swycaffer’s “Plotting a Course for Choosy Players” article from Dragon #51
And for MegaTraveller I created my own point-buy based on Jeff’s article, http://dmckinne.winterwar.org/pdfs/MTPointBasedCharGen.pdf .
Pegasus magazine did advanced careers for Flyers and Sailors, Different Worlds converted some of the mercenary service branches back down to Basic careers, a White Dwarf article expanded the criminal careers, FASA had the MoJ career…
In some cases.
FASA’s additions were in the short runs of High Passage and Far Traveller. I think the MoJ were in HP#1.
Pegasus was Judges Guild’s magazine, also a short run, and now all on RPGNow (search for the bundle). They did flyers and sailors as advanced.
Adventure Gaming was yet another short run magazine from the early 80s. It had an article on “Rebels, Insurgents, and Partisans”.
Dragon Magazine did IBIS in March 1980. Another horribly overpowered career.
White Dwarf tended to visit Traveller every other month in those first 60 to 70 issues. An article on Criminals and another in the ISS were among them.
Different Worlds did Cavalry. Artillery. Technician, Engineer, and Civilian as Basic Careers in the October 1981 issue.
JTAS had the Port Authority and a Scientist.
in products other than magazines
Paranoia Press’ “Scouts and Assassins” had, you guessed it, an Assassin career. They also did a very Soviet-inspired Zhodani spy service in “SORAG”.
Ok, the JTAS index file I achieved from somewhere has a Skyport Authority by John M. Ford 19 – 37 so that looks like that one.
and Scientists…(29-28?)!?
Different Worlds #15
Magazine of Adventure Role-Playing Games
October 1981
Cover price: $2.50
Cover: Rick Becker
“More Citizens: Six New Classes for Traveller” by Paul Montgomery Crabaugh
http://www.diffworlds.com/dw_13-24.htm
High Passage, Issue 1
©1981 FASA, 56pp.
Periodical
Justice Special Branch, by Craig Johnson………………..32
http://www.travellerbibliography.org/fasa/hp1.html
http://heldenhaufen.de/Tx/WorldCreation/RandomWorld
http://heldenhaufen.de/Tx/Animals/RandomAnimal
1
Adventure Gaming #6
Generic 0
Manzakk Publishing
1981
—
Contents
Magazine Contents
[ Add Existing Content | Add New Content ]
P.
Title
Type
System
Author
Rating
‡
32
RIP’s In The Traveller Universe
Stats
Traveller 1
R. D. Stuart
http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=6171
1
The Dragon #35
Generic 1
TSR
1980
9
IBIS: Profit and Peril
Other Rules
Traveller 1
Kenneth Burke
http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=9924
White Dwarf No. 19
©1980 Games Workshop
Periodical
Price: $2.50
TRAVELLER ARTICLES
Criminals: Traveller Bad Guys, by Trevor Graver …………. 8
http://www.travellerbibliography.org/whitedwarf/19.html
White Dwarf No. 27
©1981 Games Workshop
Periodical
Price: $3.00
TRAVELLER ARTICLES
The Imperial Secret Service, by Robert McMahon …………. 17
http://www.travellerbibliography.org/whitedwarf/27.html
Malcolm Reynolds
A 2 minute version for Leonard Myst some time ago.
F: Gd (10)
A: Ex (20)
S: Gd (10)
E: Ex (20)
R: Gd (10)
I: Gd (10)
P: Ex (20)
R: Gd
Pop: Pr
H: 60
K: 40
Creating Conan
A chronological overview, for 2d20.