rpg

Talislanta: Retribution

~ Bon Steele ~ Leave a comment

So, awhile back I had promised some GM-type scribblings from a game module I had written a few years ago.  Below, you will find  a piece of the general overview and an NPC (that’s non-player character.)  This was all written for the Talislanta 4th edition (aka, the Big Blue Book.)

*waves* Hi there! I'm the cover of the Big Blue Book. Pleased to meetcha.

Believe it or not – the guy on the cover?  Is a “good guy” – a playable character. The critter he is busily eviscerating?  Very.Bad.News.

Talislanta was written by Stephen Michael Sechi and P.D. Breeding Black. The bits below are mine. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Retribution

 

THIS MODULE CONTAINS: 

Background Story and information
Detailed Outline -> Lots of extra information, skill checks, etc.
Game Notes -> Additional background information.
NPC and Villain Notes -> additional information on the peoples of this module.
Villains And NPCs -> Character sheets for both.

 

Background Story and Information

This module is structured for the Big Blue Book, Talislanta 4th edition.  Suggested reading: any and all pages having to do with the Zandir, the Aamanian and the Arimite peoples, the Wall and The Clash of Champions (pg. 147 in the Big Blue Book.)

The Aamanians lost this year’s contest to the Zandir. All proceeds of proprietorship of the Wall – a fortune – will go to Zandu for this year.

An Orthodoxist Aspirant has come up with a plan for final retribution on the Zandir. He has presented this idea to the Hierophant, the ruler and high priest of the Aamanian people. The Hierophant, while not blessing the plan openly, has given the go-ahead by promoting Aabas to Monitor.

  • The Hierophant is no fool. His support to the Monitor, while not exactly secret, is also not widely known. If things go awry, he can state to the wider world that he had no knowledge of the plan while claiming that the Monitor had acted with regrettable zealousness outside his given authority. If however, things go well…then Aa’s favor will be demonstrated to the world and his theocracy extended further.
  • The loss of revenue from the Wall toll is going to impact heavily on the economy of Aaman. If the mines do actually come under Aa’s sway, control of the Wall revenues will be moot insofar as economics are concerned. Additionally, the proceeds from the iron ore and smelting will give the Aamanians a much needed economic boost. Plus, all that iron means more weapons for the Chosen.

A new city has been erected in the northern mounts of Aaman, near the Arimite border. This town is located on the Aamanian side of the peaks and is away from any major trade routes or roads. It is very isolated – only one road leads up to it. The new town’s name is Aanu.

Aanu is to be a staging area for the invasion of Shattra of Arim. Control of Shattra means control of the iron ore mines and the smelters located there. Once Shattra is firmly in the grip of the Aamanians, they will turn their gaze westward to their ancient enemies, the Zandir. With Shattra and her iron ore mines under his thumb, Monitor Aabas can send for more artisans and smiths to come to the newly conquered town. Shattra will be renamed (of course!) to something more Aa-ppropriate.

 

Palitarus

STRENGTH:                 0                                                          PERCEPTION:             1

DEXTERITY:                 2                                                          CHARISMA:                2

CONSTITUION:          0                                                          WILL:                             -2

SPEED:                          1                                                          INTELLIGENCE:          2

COMBAT RATING:                   0                      MAGIC RATING:                           +3

HIT POINTS: 18

MAGIC – Wizardry
(these are the modified set – includes MR and SKILL)

Reveal                          +26
Illusion                          +13
Move                            +13

SKILLS
(these are the modified set – includes the Ability modifier)

Doctrines, Paradoxy                                       +14
Alchemy                                                             +15
Dagger                                                                  +13
Deception                                                           +20
Legerdemain                                                     +17
Stealth                                                                  +17
Oratory                                                                +18
Artificer, Icons                                                   +16
Streetwise                                                          +17
Forgery                                                                +15
Urban                                                                   +17
Etiquette                                                             +15
Fashion                                                                +18
High Talislanta (language)                             +12
Low Talislanta (language)                             +9

GEAR
Silken brocade cape, dyed peacock blue with gold and silver tassels

Velvet pirate shirt, dyed grape purple

Velvet blousey pantaloons, dyed indigo

Curled toe boots, leather dyed gold

Leather bound spellbook, leather dyed gold

Pouch of silver and gold icons, leather dyed orange and gold

100 Zandir crescents


MAGICAL GEAR


Turban of Calming Influence
Archaen item, Fire Opal set in the Turban is the enchanted item.
+12 Influence (Calming, -6 Will roll for target) 5 foot radius, constant effect

Charming Earrings
Ruby and Fire Opal clusters
+10 Alter to Charisma (+2 to Charisma), 3x daily

Tasteful Silver Beard Band
Detect Poison (Reveal +10, 3x daily)

Fire Opal and Emerald Matching Dagger Set
+18 Alter to Dagger skill, +6 to skill as per swordsmanship

APPEARANCE

Eyebrows, beard and mustache treated with a magical elixir to make them glisten like an opal. Older gentleman. Very distinguished and courtly manners.

BACKGROUND

A carefully kept secret. Recently moved into the position of the Seneschal to the Sultan after an unfortunate series of mistakes by his predecessor ended in that worthy being thrown from one of the Sultan’s Palace’s copper turrets.

“Oh. How unfortunate for him. Tsk. Tsk.”

 

 

I got sunshine….

~ Bon Steele ~ 1 Comment
"Mu'ab Sol! Your name is a killing word!" "It is the weirding way."

I was thinking this morning, as I was running along: why, again, did I choose to start my running program in the summer?

Oh, that’s right. That whole “insane” thing.

Seriously, folks. There has got to be something wrong with me. Because sane people don’t do this sort of thing. Of course, many sane people choose to live somewhere the sun isn’t actively trying to murder them, too.

On a more positive note, there is something that I have noticed. When I am smiling and feeling happy, the run feels tons easier. Not that I am slowing down – the music wouldn’t let me! No, just my attitude seems to impact how it goes. When I am feeling crabby and hating everything around me, then it seems like lead weights are strapped to my ankles and everything takes far.too.long. Conversely, having a happy whilst watching the dragonflies and birds zoom around as I go by means that the run is over too soon.

Attitude truly is everything.
Of course, I still think that the sun is terrible and angry.

To be fair, at least half of this issue is not so much the sun’s fault as it is my own. Y’see, instead of doing my run before the sun rises, I am out there about 8AM or so. This is what works for my moring schedule – get the Girl up and dressed. Fed and out the door. I wait a decent amount of time while tying my shoes and stuffing my hair under my hat. I gather my iTouch and put my sunglasses on. Then – when I feel that there is no one on the streets of my neighborhood? THEN (and only then) do I head out the door.

I don’t like to run in front of other people. I am extremely self-conscious of what I look like when I run. It’s a holdover from when I was big. Even now, with the wonders of modern bra technology, I still look much like the Jell-O scene from Airplane! the Movie.

On that note, I’d like to thank the Parks and Recreation dudes this morning who stopped to watch me this morning. I could hear the wholf whistles over the üntz coming through the earbuds. Had I missed that, the slowing to a crawl in the center of the street would have been a dead giveaway. I smiled into the middle distance and ran on my way.

Now, if you will excuse me. I am off to find a shower and a giant glass of water. And possibly a better running bra.

 

PS – It is Tuesday today, so double-post; fiction later on this afternoon.  I think I’ll put up some character sketches for a Talislanta module I wrote some time ago.

PPS – How many geek references do YOU see in this post?