Let's celebrate 60 years of Fantastic Voyages! (With a microgame...)

While it seemed to fly way, way under the radar, yesterday actually marked the 60th anniversary of the release of a science fiction movie that has influenced SF storytelling greatly in the decades since then...

The 1966 classic Fantastic Voyage has become one of my favorite films over the course of the last decade or so.  I know I've mentioned it a few times on here over the years, and readers who have soldiered through my blogging since I started more than 10 years ago may even recall that the movie inspired an early post with daydreams of an RPG based on its iconic plot.

My way of celebrating the anniversary of this incredible piece of SF history is to finally follow through -- a tiny little bit, anyway (pun sort of intended) -- on those daydreams of a game focused on microscopic adventures.  And so, I present the earliest of early drafts (v0.1, in fact) of my own little microgame...

MicroSquad is a tiny RPG about playing tiny heroes.  There's honestly so much I have had swirling around in my mind that I wanted to put in such a game that what I finished up by yesterday's anniversary is actually fairly incomplete.  BUT...I'm quite sincerely interested in hearing what others think about both the concept and the game itself (a Microlite-ish take on 5e that hopefully captures a feeling that accompanies the plot nicely enough).

So...while keeping in mind (please) that it's lacking a LOT that would turn it into a "complete" game, I'd love it if you wanted to see what I currently have brewing!  Here are the Google Drive links:

MicroSquad v0.1

MicroSquad v0.1 booklet printable

At any rate...a belated Fantastic Voyage Day to all!  Talk to you soon!

MTG's Aetherdrift...I gotta say, it looks pretty rad.

This past Saturday, Pun posted some info on the Patreon project known as Planeshifted over at the Halls of the Nephilim.  This creator (Gabe Rodriguez, aka /u/letterephesus on Reddit) produces incredibly detailed and really high-quality 5e D&D supplements based on Magic: The Gathering lore, typically focusing each release on one of the planes of reality in which the MTG story takes place (hence the moniker, which also echoes the name of a series of unofficial D&D supplements based on MTG worlds that WotC released on their website).

One of the upcoming projects that I'm definitely looking forward to is a supplement based on the new MTG set coming out next weekend (with prereleases in just a couple of days, although I don't think I'll be able to make one): Aetherdrift.  For years now, I think the Magic story team has just been killing it (in a good way, in case that isn't obvious) with some aspects of the lore, mainly as they've started taking risks that seemed impossible when I started playing the game 25 years ago.  To me, Aetherdrift kind of seems like a culmination of those efforts; it's a set based upon a freaking road race that spans multiple planes in the MTG multiverse.  And it looks awesome!

From here.

The Aetherdrift story is certainly not without its detractors.  And...I do understand why.  Some of the most legitimate criticisms I've seen of the Magic story in recent years have been concerns that elements of the lore just didn't feel like the more traditional "magepunk" fantasy of earlier sets.  And yeah, when there's a Western-themed set, and we see that a known character is now wearing a sort-of-cowboy hat...well, it's easy to think that seems a little silly.

More directly for me...I loved that they returned to the plane of Ravnica -- my favorite in the MTG multiverse -- for the "murder mystery" themed set (I even picked up a copy of the Clue/Cluedo crossover release).  I think Ravnica represents a lot of what is great about Magic's lore, and it is apparently pretty popular, as that set (Murders at Karlov Manor) was essentially our fourth trip to the plane.  BUT...now there are a bunch of characters wearing detective-style garb, when we'd never seen that before in the city-plane of Ravnica.  And it can feel a little...eh, weird.  I don't think it's overdone, and it really is a minor detail, but I can understand why such things feel like a pebble in the shoes of devoted MTG lore fans as they explore a multiverse they've enjoyed for more than two decades.

(And by the way, it has not been overlooked by observers that -- especially when you also consider the Art Deco stylings of the set Streets of New Capenna, and the retro gangster archetypes many of those characters evoked -- maybe it's just that the Magic story team has a weakness for silly hats...)

SO...with Aetherdrift...yeah, the mixing of SF and fantasy is going to throw some people off.  At this point, though, we've seen with the cyberpunk-fantasy set Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (which got a Planeshifted guide that I wrote a little about back here) that the team is very capable of pulling off a setting that infuses interesting bits of speculative fiction into the fantastical base you expect from a game called Magic.  I'll admit that there are a couple of things -- specifically the set symbol (a checkered racing flag) and a new mechanic called Start your engines! -- that didn't initially hit me as spectacular additions to the game's background...but as I've gotten used to them, they're starting to feel normal.  It has to be near-impossible to take the risks necessary to keep planes fresh and engaging without occasionally overstepping into bits that don't immediately mesh 100%.

This art is for the card Pedal to the Metal.  I'm certain that name won't please everyone... (From here.)

Additionally, similar to the 10 guilds of Ravnica that are defined by each two-color pairing in the game, Aetherdrift features 10 different racing teams with different goals and methods according to the colors of mana that they represent.  Since the five-color mana system is probably the coolest part of MTG to explore, I am there for this.  (I would say I'm along for the ride, but...I shouldn't.)  The fact that interplanar travel is a key part of the story is just icing on the cake!

If you're interested in looking into the set or its story more, the landing page for the new release is here.  The official story archive, with several installments of tales from the set (many of which have audio versions), can be found here.  I haven't even made my way through all that much of the actual story yet (although I have listened long enough to realize that I was apparently incorrect in believing those first two syllables to be pronounced EE-thur, as opposed to AY-thur...that's gonna be a tough habit to break).

I think I'll create a character connected to the setting soon.  Since I still need to get around to statting out Sergiu Pijha, who I brought up long ago in a post about Manaball...

...I think I'll also stat out a character inspired by this card, from the black/red racing team known as the Endriders...

Whatever system I use (ideally something that will morph into my Monstrous Heartbreaker), it might be cool to see how two Human Warriors repping red mana can be differentiated.

Alright...[insert racing pun meaning "thanks for reading, and goodbye" here]!

(Pocket) Monstrous Monday: Scyther

I've had a soft spot for Scyther since pretty early in my journey with Pokémon.  I'm sure this was partly influenced by how universally valuable its card from the Jungle expansion used to be (seriously, it could go in every deck)...but I also like mantises...and Scyther are just cool looking.  And they're like ninjas!  What's not to like?

I also recently had a Scyther buddy named Slash in Pokémon GO.  He's a Scizor now, but we had some good times while he was growing up.

I hope he avoids the beastfighting pits, but if he ends up there, his fighting will probably play out something like this...

Slash at work with me

Scyther

(4'11, 123 lbs., DEX +2)

HD 2d8, AC 14
Actions:  Swords Dance (Slash attack deals double damage next round); Slash +2 (1d6 slashing damage)

Weakness: Fire

Resistance: Fighting

(Pocket) Monstrous Monday: Jigglypuff

While Pokémon has come up a fair amount on this blog, I think I've somehow managed to not even mention the one that I keep coming back to as my favorite (although I guess I do have a lot of "favorites"...some of which I've talked about previously).

This favorite is...

.

.

.

.

...Jigglypuff!

This amazing crocheted 'Puff was a gift from my talented friend Judy!

(And Wigglytuff.  And Igglybuff.  And I guess Scream Tail too.  The whole Jigglypuff line and lineage, really.)

So, obviously, that means I want to put one in a pit for brutal combat vs. other 'mons.  (It's just the way of the world, right?)  And it would probably look something like this...

Jigglypuff

(1'8", 12 lbs., CHA +2)

HD 2d6 (6 HP), AC 13
Actions:  Lullaby (all within earshot must make a Wisdom save or fall asleep); Pound +4 (1d4 bludgeoning damage)
Weakness:  Fighting

A final note: If you are in the United States and have the day off, I hope you enjoy, and either way, I hope we'll all take at least a moment today to be inspired by the dedication, courage, service, and sacrifice of Martin Luther King Jr.  (Kinda felt like I need to at least acknowledge what day it is if I'm going to take the opportunity to put up a silly game post...)

(Pocket) Monstrous Monday: Psyduck (and Pokémon Concierge)

As 2024 rolls on...another element of Monstrous Matters that I'd love to revisit (maybe pretty often) is Underground Elemental Beastfighting - a sort of grim/gritty take on Pokémon rooted in the facts that (1) I love the franchise, and (2) there are some genuinely questionable ethical standards at the heart of it.  (Y'know, the forced combat and all.  Although please feel free to let me know if you're of the belief that Pokémon always love to fight...it is certainly a point of great philosophical debate...)

As luck and fate would have it, I also want to spread the word about the newest Pokémon show, Netflix's Pokémon Concierge.  I love this show.  The stop-motion animation is beautiful.  The story is touching and non-combat-related.  It is just a delightful experience.  Laura and I have already watched it more than once, and she's not really even a Pokémon fan.

Now, however, she is definitely a Psyduck fan.  While a number of monsters get screentime in Pokémon Concierge, there's a certain worried duck Pokémon that is undoubtedly the monstrous star of the show.

Image from HERE

So...here he is for the beastfighting pits..."converted," with a method similar to the one(s) I've used before, from an old TCG card (but with a fair amount of winging it - no pun intended - thrown in)...

Psyduck

(2'7", 43 lbs., CON +2)

HD 1d6+2 (5 HP), AC 13
Actions:  Headache +3 (Psychic attack; if hit, an Elemental Beast-trainer can't act for 1 round); Fury Swipes +3 (1d3 slashing damage)
Weakness:  Electric

(And seriously, you should watch Pokémon Concierge.  I think the whole season is less than an hour and a half.  I definitely wish there was more of it...)

Geeky SKAturday: The Rudie class for OGL gaming

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!

I've got a feeling this year's for me and you

Just one week to go before the big day!  Seven more sleeps till Christmas!

I'm gonna make this a bit of a holiday season catch-all post.  I actually have quite a bit I want to blurt out before the year is done.  Maybe.  If I have the mental endurance to get it all down.  Here goes...

Okay...first...you may recognize the source of the words in this post's title...the Pogues' classic holiday tune "Fairytale of New York."  I can't let the year pass without acknowledging the loss of a great soul just a few weeks back, the inimitable Shane MacGowan.

Image snagged from the Belfast Telegraph

Shane (I don't really think he'd mind my calling him Shane) was a poet extraordinaire, a brilliant observer of the human condition, and a man who owned his voice like no one else.

"Fairytale of New York" is one of the most beautiful of all Christmas songs and honestly maybe of ALL songs.  You don't hear it as much these days due to its inclusion of a homophobic slur.  And I really do get that; it's kind of grating to my lib ears every time I hear it.  And...well, I'm not even going to put a video of the song here because I'm afraid it'll offend someone.

I do recall reading a response from MacGowan about the controversy brought on by the line where he said something along the lines of "she's not a good person" (referring to the female character in the song who says the word).  (Note also that I haven't paused to find that source again, so I think I'm paraphrasing pretty accurately but may also be doing so incompletely.)

EDIT: Kelvin's comments (and link) below encouraged me to do a little digging to see if there is a "MacGowan-approved" edited version of the tune.  I haven't found that to be the case, BUT I did find the more complete quote (or a similar one) that I paraphrased above and though it was worth sharing (from HERE for one):

“The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character. She is not supposed to be a nice person, or even a wholesome person. She is a woman of a certain generation at a certain time in history, and she is down on her luck and desperate. Her dialogue is as accurate as I could make it, but she is not intended to offend! She is just supposed to be an authentic character and not all characters in songs and stories are angels or even decent and respectable. Sometimes characters in songs and stories have to be evil or nasty in order to tell the story effectively.”

I've come to think that this approach actually gets to the heart of the song's beauty, and indeed, the heart of what is so poetic about a lot of MacGowan's music.  He saw the flaws of humans and still told their stories with love and a recognition that we all have souls and dreams.  That's a perspective we could use more of.

He will be missed.

---------------

So what else is going on for Christmas?  Well, I just want to remind anyone reading this that they can go HERE to pick up a free holiday adventure about Santa's Elves fighting holiday abominations and trying to save Baby New Year.  So that's cool.  It was also written by me, so there's the caveat.

Reflecting on the various gaming items I've put out into the world, I think "In Bleakest Midwinter" has probably held up as one of the most useful and generally accessible.  In 2024, I hope to revisit it, "updating" as necessary and potentially altering the rules used/implied to fit in more with the system I'd like to adopt as a sort of "house system" for Monstrous Matters, a variation on the approach I started with my own fantasy heartbreaker way back when, and which will be connected to both 5E and OSR gaming.  Right now, I'm pretty drawn to the idea of a house system for the blog as one way of connecting the various threads I inevitably follow on here, no matter how much I try to focus on one thing.  So...we'll see how long it takes before this intention goes the same way as all the others...!

Pic from HERE, which also has a brief discussion of this little guy's Public Domain status

When I do make those changes, I also hope to spend a little bit of time exploring my own canon of holiday stories.  Justin's post over at Halls of the Nephilim on holiday adventures has a list I need to check (twice...har har har) to see if there are others I can fit into the same universe as the Elves of "In Bleakest Midwinter," and I'd love to build out a more complete mix of fiction to include.  This would obviously(!) start with the Rankin/Bass classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and stack up from there, with the first continuity explanation necessary probably being why everyone at the North Pole is such an a-hole in that story.  And then...how does Krampus fit in?  A Christmas Carol?  The Ghostbusters' encounter with Ebenezer Scrooge?  The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special?  If I'm actually able to stick to a focus on the Monstrous Heartbreaker as a unifying system, it may be a lot of fun to explore this as a segment of...the Monstrousverse...?

At any rate...I hope you enjoy your holiday season, everyone!!