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| The Specials from Michael Ochs Archive, stolen from The Guardian |
Okay, how to explain the "why" of this one...?
Around 25 years ago, I was obsessed with ska and dreamed about (1) playing in a ska band, and (2) creating a ska zine, as there were some that I absolutely loved at the time (Ska-tastrophe, anyone?). I did the first but never the second. I did think about it a lot, though...what my angle could be to stand out...maybe a specific sub-subgenre to focus on or - inspired by seeing the punkrock/golf magazine Schwing! - maybe tackling ska plus some other topic of interest in the same zine.
So...fast forward 20+ years. Zines are on my radar again, but this time for RPGs rather than music. At a show one night, I'm struck by how fun it sounds...in my head...to create a zine that combines ska and RPGs. I enjoyed thinking about the possibility of filling out a world to game in with the characters, ideas, and conflicts found in many of the songs I like. I mean, for a lot of us, I think at least a little part of ska's appeal is that it has narratives that accompany it, both within songs and in the more meta sense of the historical development of the genre. It was easy for a geek like me to completely geek out on it (still is). And once I started trying to dress the part, with a skinny black tie and some two-tone shoes...well, that isn't very far removed from cosplay, is it?
And this is as good a time as any to point out that where I'm going with all of this may be perceived as culturally tone deaf to some. There's a lot of discussion to be had regarding the Jamaican musical diaspora and cultural appropriation. When I dressed up as a "rude boy" in the sense of "one who loves ska," I was sort of cosplaying 70s British kids who were in turn cosplaying 60s Jamaican tough guys. What do I know about growing up on the streets of Kingston? (I'm a middle class American white guy, in case you don't know...) At any rate...if someone wants to take up a dialogue regarding all of this, I'm certainly game!
The thing is...I do genuinely love this music, and this is a point upon which I'm willing to ignore some of my fears as an unashamed progressive in order to more fully take part in this thing that I love.
Okay, so...where was I? Oh yes, a ska zine! Well, there was no way I was going to end up following through on that in a meaningful way. If you need proof of this, take a gander through my history on this blog and note all the projects I've begun with excitement only to abandon when the next "best idea ever" takes hold of me. I don't regret them, as I love getting absorbed by ideas I enjoy. But a lot of the time, I just don't get the results I start out hoping for.
However...I had started this little Geeky SKAturday "feature" (in that I posted it more than once) here at Monstrous Matters...and I could probably make something happen semi-regularly if it had a clear structure and goal. And so, in 2024, I plan to make good on realizing my little ska/RPG crossover. Most of it will probably just be posting songs I like and giving them a tenuous connection to game mechanics. And it all starts here...with the Rudie character class. (It's for the rules I'm formulating to be the "house system" here at MM...basically full - or very close to full - compatibility with the fifth edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game, with enough ambiguity that it can also be used in OSR approaches.)
I'd love to know what you think! Unless you hate it. No, actually...let me know if you hate it. Either way, I hope I'll keep on wasting my time on it...!
Rudie
HD: d8
Proficiencies
Simple weapons
Any 3 musical instruments OR handguns
and any 2 musical instruments
Any 3 skills
|
Level |
Features |
Cantrips Known |
Sounds Known |
Sound Slots per Spell Level |
|
|
1st |
2nd |
||||
|
1 |
Soundcasting, Pick It Up |
2 |
4 |
2 |
- |
|
2 |
Ska’d for Life |
2 |
5 |
3 |
- |
|
3 |
Rocksteady |
2 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
|
4 |
Ability Score Improvement |
3 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
Soundcasting
Rudies can channel the energy and
spirit of ska to affect the world in profound and arguably magical ways. Specific capabilities are known as Sounds
and follow the general rules of spellcasting by other classes. Cantrips (0-level Sounds) and Sounds known
per level are on the Rudie table (above).
Pick It Up
The upbeats give you life! On your turn, you can use a bonus action to
regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Rudie level.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Ska’d for Life
[Rules still to come...lemme know if you have ideas, please...!]
Rocksteady
[Same...]
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Sounds (examples):
A Message to You Rudy (Cantrip) - You point your finger toward a creature within range and whisper a message. The target (and only the target) hears the message and can reply in a whisper that only you can hear.
You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks the spell. The spell doesn't have to follow a straight line and can travel freely around corners or through openings.
Ball of Fire (Cantrip) - You hurl a ball of fire at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell ignites if it isn't being worn or carried.
---------------
Okay...I hope to post some characters (and Sounds) as the weeks roll on...and maybe work them into the bigger Monstrousverse as far as I'm capable. I'm gonna make as many Saturdays as I can into SKAturdays (your groans don't phase me, by the way).
Enjoy your holidays, everyone!
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