TheRPGSite

Here's some crap I made for my b/x game with my kids.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0001.jpg)

 Province of the Forgotten Empire


The region known as Sansool lies just north of the Sunburst Sea. Once, long ago, Sansool existed as province of the Forgotten Empire, but in the present, the region is contested territory with many groups fighting for control and survival.  Locals look back on the ill-remembered imperial past as a sort of golden age, but it has little bearing on the day-to-day lives of most.  This is not the case, however, for every one; adventurers spend their lives delving into the imperial ruins seeking glory, riches, or perhaps the power granted by forgotten relics of the imperial age.


The Black Spire is a massive and fortified tower, built of black basalt.  One of only a few intact imperial era fortifications in the region, the original purpose of the Black spire is unknown; although it is thought that it may have been a temple to chaotic god. Currently it is controlled by Rictus, the self styled Witch King. A huge encampment of gnoll warriors surrounds its base.

Blyx is situated at the eastern edge of Olde Dragon Swamp. Populated by men and dwarves for the most part Blyx conducts trade with everyone from the lizard men of the swamp to the white apes of the Crags. A council of Wizards known as the Silent Society runs Blyx. The city’s trade is prosperous and the Silent Society uses the wealth generated thus to influence affairs far and wide. Blyxian spies are sad to infest every city, church and court throughout the land.

The Crags, a broken, rocky badland, represent the sad remains of an ancient mountains chain, worn away by time, and shattered by earthly upheaval. Although oases hide among the rocks in some few places, the major part of the Crags is barren and merciless. Outlaws and Savage bands of white apes fight over what little there is.


Glistendome. Built long ago by the imperials, Castle Glistendome resides on the Green Isle in The Witch’s Water and is a mighty fortress city.  The city has been held by the elves for well over a thousand years. When they took ownership of the city form the imperials, the elves assumed stewardship of the Golden Peacock, the wood wall and the Wyrd tree. Like many imperial constructions the castle and the city below are riddled with secret passages and hidden chambers. The Old Road, an ancient imperial thoroughfare, runs west from Castle Glistendome to the shattered gates of ruined Moon Keep.

The Gloomy Mountains: Ancient basaltic mountain range. The average peak is about 12,000’ feet high at the summit. The extent of the range is unknown and no records exist of anyone visiting the western slope. In the southern expanse of the range some of the deeper valleys contain microclimatic pockets of jungle. Major settlements in the mountains include Urux and the Black Spire.

The Witch Wood: Ancient home of the elves, the wood continues to the north and east of what is shown on the map. All manner of beasts inhabit the forest. Although there are many elves living at Castle Glistendome, many more live throughout the forest. The elves trade the products of their magical orchards, and handmade treasures of many sorts, with the men of Urux and Blyx and the Dwarves of Kurg.

Jungle of Nar:  situated at sea level the Jungle of Nar has a much warmer wetter climate than most of the province. Gargantuan, ancient creatures found nowhere else in the province reside in this storybook rain forest. Mysterious ruins of unknown but obviously ancient origin, perhaps predating even the Forgotten Empire, are strewn through out the depths of the forest. The city of Kurg, a dwarfish whaling town resides at the edge of the primeval forest, along the southern coast of the province.

Kurg:  1000 years ago, at the close of the Second Summer, the dwarves who fled the horror unleashed at Urux (then called Bal-Rindurr) settled far to the south of the catastrophe and took up the hunting of whales and other giant beasts of the sea. Since this initial settlement, the folk of Kurg have prospered, but the settlement has changed but a little. Following long tradition the city minds its own affairs, taking its living from the jungle and the sea.

The Lurch: As a name, “The Lurch” refers both to the large dormant volcano just south of the Screeching Stones and the stunted malformed woodland that surrounds its swollen eminance.  The Serpent People made a city here once, deep in pre-imperial times. Over the epochs, successive volcanic events buried and sealed away several iterations of the great city. Each time the volcano erupted the serpent people would return and create another layer. These cities exist now, one piled atop the other, all entombed beneath the flank of the great mountain.

The strange and twisted woodland, which surrounds the volcano, is famous for its carrion stench and populations of giant insects.

The Moon Hills: Fog shrouded, lycanthrope infested and wizard haunted highland region. There are many minor imperial ruins in this region. Warring clans of Halflings reside in cold, ramshackle castles seprated from one another by leagues, brought together by hatred and blood feud.

Moon Keep: Ruined imperial site. An intact funerary complex is situated beneath the remains of main structure.

Stargleam’s Wall: Perhaps the signature relic of the Second Summer. The elvish king Stargleam had this wall built in order to hold back the forces of the first Witch-King, Skorn, but something went very wrong. Stargleam’s chief advisor and Wizard, Althon betrayed him by secretly defiling the Wall with forbidden rituals. As a result a presence entered the spaces between the walls within the great wall. Things fell apart. At first, the wall crumbled and resisted repair. Later, over the course of a single night remembered now as the Grief the soldiers manning the great wall went insane and slew one another- down to the last.  Mores elves died in that one night then during the entirety of the Summer War up until that point. The elves were effectively undone, the few who remained fled to Camirill. With the elves defeated, the Summer War entered its final phase. Althon raised the thousands of dead soliders along the wall as mindless revenants of savage aspect. He set them upon the forces of Skorn. In the end the land was torn asunder and all who vied for conquest were humbled by it. The Second Summer had come to a close and the Long Fall had begun.
Old Dragon Swamp:  roughly 100 years after the Grief, a dragon came down upon the elvish countries. His wrath devastated the land and transformed it. where once there had been a lake now there was a stinking smoking fen. Although, he is rarely seen these days, it is commonly believed that Igor still resides in the swamp. Igor is the most powerful single entity in the province. Many worship him as a god. His agents move in every walk of life, throughout the province.

Urux: At the end of the second summer, the dwarves and Ur-men, who worked and lived at Bal- Rindurr had advanced the arts of mining and metallurgy to new heights. Prosperity was at an all time high, but greed and avaricious pride ruled the minds of the folk and they wanted more and more. Eventually, due to the desire to progress in some quarters and the desire to profit in others, the dwarfish overlords yielded to popular demand and made use of chaos magic to further the city’s mining efforts. The exact details are known to few today, but there was a terrible catastrophe; a hole was rent in the earth’s crust at the root of the mountain, and Bal-Rindurr itself was sundered and its subterranean towers toppled. In the months that followed, the dwarfish survivors fled the city.

The Witch Wood: ancient haunted forest, long believed to be cursed. The elvish court and people were driven to the witch wood after Igor destroyed Camarill. In exchange for a place within the wood, the forest god Mogu, made the elves bind themselves to the forest through a magical ritual. The ritual made the elves the stewards of the forest. Mogu has remained silent since the time of the great ritual, but it is rumored that he will return if he grows dissatisfied with his chosen stewards.

The Witch Water is a haunted lake which contains Glistendome and the island upon which it was built. At night, shimmering spectral shapes slide to and fro beneath the waves and when the moon is full the ghostly ruins of cities long forgotten can be seen aglow upon the lake floor.

and here's the map for Satan's Spine the campaign area for my upcoming Metal Earth game.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/SS.jpg)

Yeah, Minaria stills influences how I think about maps, too.

Very nice work, Aos.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;545081Yeah, Minaria stills influences how I think about maps, too.

Very nice work, Aos.

Thanks man, this is my default map style right now. I wish I could find a copy of DR for a reasonable price; I'd love to introduce my group to it.

That's very neat Aos.

Nicely done, sir.  Very cool map.

You've got Bleeding Wood, and the Taint is contaminated by the Pox(xlands). Gross. Hur hur hur.

Anyway, that's some cool stuff.

I envy your map-making skills.

Quote from: misterguignol;545104I envy your map-making skills.

You're posting in the wrong thread.

Quote from: Aos;545109You're posting in the wrong thread.

That's what she said.

Well with enough force you can make any thing fly; with enough lube...

Way cool.

I, personally, suck at coming up with interesting locations so I'm always happy to read *cough*steal*cough* what other people do :)

Quote from: Piestrio;545200Way cool.

I, personally, suck at coming up with interesting locations so I'm always happy to read *cough*steal*cough* what other people do :)

Click the link in my sig, the left side of my site is loaded with horrible shit which you may pilfer at will.

Where did you get the hex grid? I'm looking for a good source of hex grid paper...

http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/

Quote from: Aos;545227http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/

Thank you.

As always, fucking awesome!

Good stuff.  Reminds me a bit of the interior art map sketches from FFC (http://www.acaeum.com/jg/Item0037.html).

Absolutely awesome maps.

RPGPundit

Great map, Aos. Very evocative place names.

I really enjoy checking in on your Metal Earth site and looking at the new stuff. Are you're maps hand drawn or are you using a program to illustrate them. I also love the nod to Divine Right in the map's style.

Fucking
AWESOME

gorgeous work, man :worship:

Yeah I'm totally not going to be original but the map dude... holy crap it's cool. And the descriptions following are totally awesome too. Very well done.

Hope your kids are having a blast exploring it. :)

That map of the Metal Earth.. it is based off britain's outline, isn't it?

Quote from: IceBlinkLuck;545941Great map, Aos. Very evocative place names.

I really enjoy checking in on your Metal Earth site and looking at the new stuff. Are you're maps hand drawn or are you using a program to illustrate them. I also love the nod to Divine Right in the map's style.

I do it by hand. The mountains are especially time consuming/grueling. Before I did the forgotten Province, I studied the DR map for quite a while trying to figure out what it was I liked about it so much.

Quote from: Benoist;546052Yeah I'm totally not going to be original but the map dude... holy crap it's cool. And the descriptions following are totally awesome too. Very well done.

Hope your kids are having a blast exploring it. :)

That map of the Metal Earth.. it is based off britain's outline, isn't it?

Thanks. I hadn't thought pf Britain at all, but now that you mention it, I can totally see it.

Late to the thread, but yeah, awesome maps! Very tempted to try some hands-on mapping of my own.

Quote from: The Butcher;546350Late to the thread, but yeah, awesome maps! Very tempted to try some hands-on mapping of my own.

You SHOULD. That's where D&D gaming's at. ;)

Quote from: The Butcher;546350Late to the thread, but yeah, awesome maps! Very tempted to try some hands-on mapping of my own.

Yeah, and post it on the internet so I can steal ....I mean use it. *as she looks both ways nervously*.

Beautiful maps but I could never use them with my group.

One innocent inquiry about exploring the Taint and we would all be incapacitated by laughter for the night. :rotfl:

Quote from: Exploderwizard;546560One innocent inquiry about exploring the Taint and we would all be incapacitated by laughter for the night. :rotfl:

That's not entirely unintentional.

This stuff is for a thing about a thing I'm working on...

A short excerpt:
Skull, Garden of the Worm

Located deep within the Anvil of Sun and ruled over by the devious and gleefully malignant centipede creature known as Coil, Skull is a city built inside the final remaining relic of a long dead god. Despite Skull's location at the center of the waste, cool air flows through its neighborhoods and lush tropical growth looms over its sparkling canals; further, the city boasts some of the most productive agricultural caverns (green shafts) on the continent.  This fecundity can be attributed in part to vast subterranean sea located far below Skull's bustling streets, and on which the plants and people of Skull depend upon more than any other resource for their survival. It is perhaps the largest source of untainted water on the continent, maybe the world. Another contributing factor is the vast god skull itself; its osseus dome is semi translucent, blocking the worst effects of the sun, yet allowing sufficient light through to nourish the gardens below.

And some images:

A rider approaches from the East.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/Skull1colorfinal.jpg)

From the side

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0001-1.jpg)

In Color:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0003.jpg)


From the top
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0004.jpg)

Satan's Spine (the Metal Earth campaign area) in color:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2.jpg)

This gets more awesome every update, Aos...erm, Gib.  Thanks.

I'm trying to make something complete and useful. It will be 100% Metal Earth, but if all goes as planned, the city should be useable as a lost civilization kind of thing which could be placed in a wasteland on any campaign world.

I've got several more drawings done, but I haven't scanned them yet, and i have a bout 20 pages of text and a bunch of sloppy notes.

This bit makes me smile:

(Sidebar) Birthday: Every spring the Nursery hosts a ritual bloody enough to rival any in the Earth's history; the eggs hatch and countless nymph-hatchlings swarm into the water of the Nursery. Thousands of slaves are forced into the pool to feed the ravenous hatchlings, earning the ritual its sobriquet, the Blood Bath. When the feeding frenzy is done, nothing remains of the sacrificed slaves but a greasy slick on the churning surface of the pool.  Once the hatchlings are sated, they become torpid and sluggish. At this time Coil descends from its place atop the grand Ziggurat and rampages through the Grove eating or just killing anyone unwise (or unlucky) enough to cross its path. Upon arriving at the Nursery, Coil plunges into water and eats the vast majority of the nymphs in a second and even more violent orgy of consumption. Crowds of loyal citizens watch the entire spectacle whilst picnicking in the square to the East of the Nursery.

that's some crazy cool stuff, man.  just screams heavy metal, i'd love to play around there.

Quote from: Gib;560730I'm trying to make something complete and useful. It will be 100% Metal Earth, but if all goes as planned, the city should be useable as a lost civilization kind of thing which could be placed in a wasteland on any campaign world.

I've got several more drawings done, but I haven't scanned them yet, and i have a bout 20 pages of text and a bunch of sloppy notes.

This bit makes me smile:

(Sidebar) Birthday: Every spring the Nursery hosts a ritual bloody enough to rival any in the Earth's history; the eggs hatch and countless nymph-hatchlings swarm into the water of the Nursery. Thousands of slaves are forced into the pool to feed the ravenous hatchlings, earning the ritual its sobriquet, the Blood Bath. When the feeding frenzy is done, nothing remains of the sacrificed slaves but a greasy slick on the churning surface of the pool.  Once the hatchlings are sated, they become torpid and sluggish. At this time Coil descends from its place atop the grand Ziggurat and rampages through the Grove eating or just killing anyone unwise (or unlucky) enough to cross its path. Upon arriving at the Nursery, Coil plunges into water and eats the vast majority of the nymphs in a second and even more violent orgy of consumption. Crowds of loyal citizens watch the entire spectacle whilst picnicking in the square to the East of the Nursery.

That sounds like something that would've been in an episode of the tragically stillborn Korgoth of Barberia had it lived as it should've.


...
"Not just any pain, a whole RAIIIIIINBOW of pain, except in this rainbow..."

I would play 4e with you, Gib.

Quote from: thedungeondelver;560738That sounds like something that would've been in an episode of the tragically stillborn Korgoth of Barberia had it lived as it should've.


...
"Not just any pain, a whole RAIIIIIINBOW of pain, except in this rainbow..."

Very close to what I'm aiming for. Some other influences are Dark Sun, Barsoom, The Taarna sequence in the Heavy Metal movie, Azrach, Corben's Den, Kamaindi, and CAS.

Quote from: Benoist;560740I would play 4e with you, Gib.

But I'm playing B/X!

Quote from: Gib;560747But I'm playing B/X!

B/X Dark Sun? Oooh... the possibilities... all the sweeter!

Athas is soft. Satan's Spine is where my PCs go to die of thirst and radiation poisoning.

Quote from: Gib;560746The Taarna sequence in the Heavy Metal movie

oh hells yes, that's what i was seeing in your stuff, absolutely \m/

Quote from: Gib;560746Very close to what I'm aiming for. Some other influences are Dark Sun, Barsoom, The Taarna sequence in the Heavy Metal movie, Azrach, Corben's Den, Kamaindi, and CAS.

A little Druuna thrown in for good measure? ;)

"Hm, what an interesting person you are.  Is this the master control system for the city?  I'd better take off all my clothes and have sex with you!"

Quote from: thedungeondelver;560756A little Druuna thrown in for good measure? ;)

"Hm, what an interesting person you are.  Is this the master control system for the city?  I'd better take off all my clothes and have sex with you!"

That is the sort of material that I leave for the individual DM to complete.

Quote from: Gib;560765That is the sort of material that I leave for the individual DM to complete.

I am kidding...but you are definitely wise to do so.

No kidding. :)

Everything goes better with Druuna.

Quote from: Gib;560718(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0003.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0004.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2.jpg)

(http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21300000/Rainbow-Puke-D-random-21329583-500-382.jpg)

I'd play the hell out of this!

One of these days...

Looking at the side view, I thought for a moment that I'd shaded Bone Mntn incorrectly, but then I realized that the second sun, a baleful shimmering star-thing, known as the Welt, aglow with its sickening and grotesque light of pulsating orange and green, has just come up over the horizon.

i feel michel "away" langevin (http://away-voivod.webs.com/)'s stuff would fit right in there, too.

Those are really cool.

That's some crazy, but awesome, shit right there.

RPGPundit

It also gives me vibes of World Enough, and Time, Time's Dark Laughter and Timefall (http://www.amazon.com/World-Enough-Time-James-Kahn/dp/0345327004), by James Kahn - one of the best "never used" backgrounds for an RPG ever (exp. for GURPS or an heavily adapted Rifts).

Another preview.


Skull is alive with conflict and strife. Arrayed beneath Coil, a myriad of organizations, institutions and societal estates struggle against one another, competing for resources, power and, ultimately, survival. These struggles manifest as a pervasive network of striving discord; this bitter and brittle lattice binds the city together; and friction between its components, as they twist and trespass against one another, provides the fuel that runs the engine of Skull’s society.  To understand Skull, one must understand these entities. The following section will look at the most important of Skull’s social constructs, but only in a cursory fashion. It shall, of course, be taken as read that each is, in reality, a universe in and unto itself, possessed of nuances both varied and numerous, the detailed examination of which lie beyond the scope of this inquiry.

Outsiders:
Several outside groups exert influence in Skull.

Airlords:
Arrogant and xenophobic, the airlords represent the largest independent shae population of Satan’s Spine. No clear indicator exists of the number of either the airlords or the ships in their fleet. What is known, however, is that the airlords are possessed of an advanced and refined airship technology, which they very much do not wish to share. Not only do the airlords wish to maintain sole proprietorship of their airship technology, they, as a matter of policy look upon any independent effort to gain access to the skies with a more than mild disfavor. Traditionally, the airlords have shown they will do whatever necessary to retard or obliterate the progress of any such projects and murder all those involved, as discretely as possible, of course. They currently maintain an embassy in the Forecourt, the main purpose of which is, at least superficially, to further the interest of the lively luxury/sumptuary goods trade, which they engage in with Coil’s priests. As to their feelings regarding Coil’s nascent airship program, none among the embassy contingent has seen fit to offer an opinion official, or otherwise.

The Herd:
Nuphal are large sentient pachyderms that, operating as a collective of clans, known as the Herd, control overland trade throughout the southern half of Satan’s Spine. If it is a staple of life and cannot be produced within Skull, it comes to the city via nuphal caravan. Famed for delivering goods intact and in a timely manner, the nuphal clan caravans boast an excellent reputation. Notably, the Herd represents a key link in the flesh trade. In fact, many worthies in Skull and beyond consider the nuphal caravans the only sensible way to transport slaves, an onerous enterprise at best, but of which the nuphal are the undisputed masters.

Each clan runs a caravan. Currently, twelve clans, each linked to the others through a weak form of ritualized telepathy, are thought to be in existence; each caravan follows the same route, known as the Golden Road, at evenly spaced intervals; excepting the duration of the Season of Storms, a new caravan arrives in Skull every month, usually before or within days of the departure of the most recent previous caravan. Individual nuphal act as caravan organizers, porters and guards. Additionally, the clans employ humanoid agents to further their ends within settlements and mercenaries to help guard their expeditions. Despite the Herd’s use of sell swords, nuphal warriors know few rivals in their capacity for destruction, and, although rare, there are powerful sorcerers among the ranks of the clans.

Currently the Herd is in a dispute with the Brotherhood of Blood regarding pay rates and labor conditions. Their relationship with the Slavers is currently without strife, but trouble may be brewing.

As with the Airlords, the Nuphal are less than enthused in regards to the Worm’s airship program, fearing that it might lead to a compromise of their near monopoly on trade with the city.

Brotherhood of Blood:
The Brotherhood* of Blood is a mercenary guild. Skull is their power base as they have a special relationship with the Ministry of Control to whom they supply a large number of warriors. At any given time, the MoC employs roughly two thousand Brothers to act as bodyguards, fill positions in the watch and the city’s small standing army/expeditionary force, the Worm Guard.
Most of the mercenaries within the city are supplied with the necessary unguent and given lodging with their assignments. However, the Brotherhood provides lodging and other services for its members in the Forecourt, at their large compound: Murder House; administrative offices and training facilities are also located therein.

Currently the Brotherhood is at odds with the Herd regarding contractual rates and obligations. Business between the Herd and Brotherhood, however proceeds, for the most part as normal.

The regional presence of the Brotherhood of Blood is under the command of Field Marshal Krogg, a venerable Sasquatch, veteran of 100 battles; a seeming incorruptible individual, who apparently wishes for nothing more than to maintain the status quo and lose as few of her sell-swords as possible in the process.

(*misnomer as the “Brotherhood” consists of  both males and females as well as many individuals of several other less common variations).

The Rogues’ Knot:
The Rouges’ Knot, or ‘the crew’ as it’s sometimes called is a criminal organization elements of which can be found virtually in every civilized corner of Satan’s Spine.  However, what ever power the crew wields elsewhere, in Skull, the great organization is represented by a loosely knit band of barely competent operatives and semi-independent perpetrators, who, at best, manage to stay just one step ahead of the Worm’s Watch.

The Knot’s strongest beachhead within the city is within the back market community centered in the neighborhoods surrounding the Kennel.  Conflict between the black market vendors, the cutpurses and the blackguards serve to keep the group focused on internal concerns and almost a non-factor in city politics.

However, the leaders of the Knot in other cities watch and wait for a chance to move into Skull and establish a new power base.



The Slavers:
The Slavers have a large presence in Skull. Most of the slaves come from their pits on the island of Chain in the Stained Sea, as products of either their breeding or raiding programs. Many of the slaves are brought from lands far beyond Satan’s Spine and cannot speak the nameless ancient language of the region, and never seem to learn more than the rudiments of the tongue no matter how many years they spend in service.

The Envoy of Eyes is the official title given to the Slavers’ chief representative in Skull. Elegant and cruel, the Lady Brand, a peerless huntress and an assassin of legendary skill, is the current bearer of this honor; thus, she wears the Crown of Eyes, a circlet of metal set with ten evenly spaced, living eyes, giving her a 360º field of vision.  It is said that Lady Brand owes her skill to a Slaver breeding program gone terribly wrong. The truth of this claim is unknown. As with all other slavers, Lady brand dresses in furs at all time, even during the hottest weather, never showing her face. Whatever the case, whatever her secrets, Brand is a being of immense power.

The Slavers keep close relationships with the Brotherhood of Blood and the Nuphal. In many cities Slavers have a close relationship with the Rogues’ Knot, but in skull the thieves guild is not worthy of such an association.

As with the Brotherhood of Blood, it is in the best interest of the Slavers if the status quo remains unchanged. They are quite willing to spill blood to further this end, but will not put themselves at too great of a risk, preferring to ride out change rather than risk over much.

 On a personal note, I spent the last week plus walking across the desert. It sucks and I need to write some rules to mirror that. For one thing, consuming a gallon of water a day would still leave you dehydrated.The good news is you hardly ever have to stop for a piss.

The Facility:
A vast Ziggurat of pipe work and concrete, the Facility dominates the region of the True Sea directly beneath Skull. The true nature of the monolithic structure is unknown. Delvers of the underworld and sailors of the True Sea have reported sightings of man shapes upon the walls of the great edifice, but no one has spoken to its inhabitants or is aware of their strange purpose.  
It is thought that the Facility exists to purify the water of the True Sea, but the veracity of the claim is unknown. What is true, however, is that the Facility's pumps carry the water on which Skull depends for its survival from the sea and up to the city.  No one knows how long the pumps have been going or, for that matter, when they might stop.

Built by a human organization known as the Agency, the Facility dates from a short time before the arrival of the Welt. It is combination storage and research facility, curating weapons and other technology as well as hosting a range of laboratories designed to facilitate many different avenues of research.

Although the marks of deep time are easily seen in the ancient, cracked and crumbling concrete, the rusted pipes and omnipresent fungal infestation of the place, the Facility is not derelict.  Gene engineered monsters patrol the endless network of corridors and rooms and a variety of semi sentient humanoid drones maintain the machines. However, aside from the group's ubiquitous symbol, little remains of the Agency or the culture that spawned it, but for the powerful and insane Dr. Warp. Unquestioned overlord of the Facility and its denizens, the doctor rules it all and as a descendent of the founders, represents the place's last vestige of humanity, but in truth, he hasn't been properly human for a very, very long time.

Stuff for my icons game:

Circuit Serpent

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/CScolor.jpg)


Ironmask's (think Dr. Doom) space ship c. 1950.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/ironshipspace.jpg)

Some really nice old school maps but I think I would avoid the Green Shaft Area sounds a little weird.

Lots of brilliant stuff in the thread, many thanks Aos!

Looks like quite the ICONS game you're doing there; probably very thematically different from my own Golden Age game. Here's the kind of artwork my ICONS players are seeing:

(http://x9d.xanga.com/96cf9b6548530282327790/b225042190.jpg)

Not my own design, of course.

RPGPundit

I'd like to do a mystery men type of game, actually, but I think I'd really need to sit and figure out how to make it work.

The one I'm running now, though, is more like late 60's Marvel, with an emphasis on the more gonzo elements, like time travel, alien invasion and such. Exploration has been a big part of the game,as well, much as it is in Kirby and Lee's FF run. We're having a wrap up session in a couple of weeks and all these drawings are for that game. I have several done in pencil, but for now, here are a few more in color.

CS recolored in black. This is my final version.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/csblack.jpg)

Cosmic Vermin-  That round thing on the bottom is supposed to be a ball; the creature moves by rolling; I imagine it sounds like a bowling ball as it approaches.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/spacevermincolor.jpg)

this one explains itself, really:
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/blackdcomplete.jpg)

A drawing of one of the PCs in my icons game

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0003_zpsc1b3cd12.jpg)

Pencil map of the Deep Desert area of Satan's Spine

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0007.jpg)

A later version  in ink, with some name changes.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/DeepDesertGMmap_zpsb66ea929.jpg)


A street scene in Skull

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0006_zpse59af0ce.jpg)


Xolox, in the Black Smoke Sea:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0012_zps8c94c403.jpg)

Ridiculously metal and completely awesome!

Holy shit.

Aos always updates this when there's some clusterfuck like the Dwimmermount thread dominating the forum.

Makes me wish it happened more often.

I'd play either the D&D or the ICONS game in a heartbeat.

The ICONS game is over, at long last. The new D&D campaign will likely start when the current field season ends. (I'm in hotels a lot right now, and working 10hr/day 8 day cycles, so I'm fucking tired).

I'm considering changing the black Smoke Sea to "The Gasp" and Battlefield reach to "The City." At this point when I get two days to rub together I'm going to finish my houserule hack of the LL SRD.

Oh, and thanks for the kind words.

A couple more Icons pics that I thought I'd already posted.

The Fire Knight (PC) after a cosmic upgrade:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0037_zps2cc3b3a1.jpg)

The universal Xeera (NPC)
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0030_zps2f9f0f46.jpg)

A computer colored version of the rocket from upthread. I don't know the identity of the colorist because the internet is strange and occasionally cool.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/1345961829926_zps3135e9f6.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;584627I'm considering changing the black Smoke Sea to "The Gasp" and Battlefield reach to "The City." At this point when I get two days to rub together I'm going to finish my houserule hack of the LL SRD.

Don't do that. The original names are more evocative (maybe The Gasp and The City are local slang names?).

Quote from: Gib;584651The Fire Knight (PC) after a cosmic upgrade:

You know, gaming aside, I was really prejudiced against Silver Age comics in general (on account of DC's Silver Age Batman and Superman and their well-documented silliness), but your posts made me reappreciate the awesomeness of the seminal Silver Age Marvel stuff.

I mean, I "knew" Jack Kirby was God and Walt Simonson was his Prophet and all that, but I took it for granted, I never really went back and read the classic stuff. Now your posts have made me look at a few classics and, when you contrast Marvel and DC comics of the 1960s, it's easy to see how innovative and edgy Marvel was back then. Not to mention, of course, how the Marvel mythoi came to be.

I have a huge backlog of games I want to run, and supers isn't really at the top of the list -- but if it ever happens, I know where I'm going for inspiration. Thank you.

NEEDS MOAR DAKKA

Doesn't really, I'm just going through a Waaarrgh!! phase at the moment

Needs more Gangnam Style (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0).

Quote from: The Butcher;584662You know, gaming aside, I was really prejudiced against Silver Age comics in general (on account of DC's Silver Age Batman and Superman and their well-documented silliness), but your posts made me reappreciate the awesomeness of the seminal Silver Age Marvel stuff.

I mean, I "knew" Jack Kirby was God and Walt Simonson was his Prophet and all that, but I took it for granted, I never really went back and read the classic stuff. Now your posts have made me look at a few classics and, when you contrast Marvel and DC comics of the 1960s, it's easy to see how innovative and edgy Marvel was back then. Not to mention, of course, how the Marvel mythoi came to be.

I have a huge backlog of games I want to run, and supers isn't really at the top of the list -- but if it ever happens, I know where I'm going for inspiration. Thank you.

You should really check out Kirby's Fourth World (DC) stuff as well; it's top notch and a great source of inspiration if you want to go cosmic.

Quote from: The Traveller;584702NEEDS MOAR DAKKA

Doesn't really, I'm just going through a Waaarrgh!! phase at the moment

I don't know what any of that means.

Quote from: Gib;584745I don't know what any of that means.

WAAAGH! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXCLtD5batc)

(http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2010/4/14/129157674413517323.jpg)

Alrighty then.

RPGPundit

Quote from: Gib;584617(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/DeepDesertGMmap_zpsb66ea929.jpg)

/cast Aos' Sucking Wall of Text

12. Located at the northeastern base of the Hellhole, 12 is a Scorn settlement cluster, consisting of several large dome habitats and a number of underground complexes. The aliens represent the strongest military presence within the Black Smoke Sea, but they cannot be said to truly control the region. The Airlords trade with the Scorn, but neither the Herd nor the Trund do so.

Battlefield Reach:  The trackless, monster infested, radioactive wasteland known as Battlefield Reach sprawls across the ruins of what was once a great super-technological metropolis. Ranging from scrap metal to ancient coins to wondrous items of every possible description, the treasure yielded up by these ruins draws a steady stream of scavengers from across the length and breadth of Satan’s Spine.  Most of the scavenger bands meet up in and operate out of Great Stone Ship.


The Blacksmoke Sea:  Comprised primarily of cursed noxious vapors, toxic volcanic gas and malignant spectral plasm, the Black Smoke Sea occupies a great basin situated between the Western Mountains and the Cracked Land. Hazards abound, above, within and beneath the sea’s deadly black clouds. In addition to the unwholesome atmosphere, mysterious tribes and savage, twisted monstrosities evolved to survive in the poisonous environment inhabit and hunt the basin’s floor; violent seismic activity is frequent; and angry spirits filter and prowl through the gaseous murk, jealous of the living and eager to feast upon them.

The Bleak Mountains: High Windy and cold, the Bleak Mountains, present a marked contrast to the heat and aridity of the desert lowlands, but represent an environment as harsh and hostile to life as any in the region.  During the first decades of their lives, before they depart for the stars, many rocs make their nests on some of the higher peaks.

The remoteness and inaccessibility of the chain makes it an ideal refuge. The Dark Mark (an assassins’ guild) the Cult of Gllorr’r (a vile religion centered around an ancient Martian fertility deity) and countless dark wizards are said to have strongholds, hidden away within the mountain fastness. The White Apes have a city, Krag, halfway up the slope of the Thorn, the highest peak in the chain.  

The Cracked Land:  Boulder fields, volcanic vents and uneven, fissured plains of obsidian make up most of the Cracked Land. Magma elementals live and war amongst themselves in the deeper fissures. Loosely knit Sasquatch motorcycle gangs compete with a savage confederation of Minotaur road warrior tribes for control of the area. Each group lives a nomadic lifestyle, growing food in special oversized trucks and drawing on geothermal heat to power their vehicles.  There are no known permanent settlements.

Demon’s Beach: Once the floor of a long forgotten sea, Demon’s Beach is now a vast and flat expanse of crusted salt. The sun pummels the plain with savage, unrelenting intensity. Little lives above ground. However, a vast network of linked natural and artificial caverns, known as the Etros, lies buried deep beneath most of the salt flat. Many dangerous creatures live here. In most of the rest of Satan’s Spine it is commonly believed that Etros is where the souls of the dead reside. Little is known about the nameless domes in the northeastern expanse of Deamon’s Beach.

Great Stone Ship: A titanic sea-going vessel of unknown origin and purpose, Great Stone Ship lies on the desert floor, marking out the northeast boundary of Battlefield Reach. At the base of the ship, in the shade on its northern side, crouches a lowdown settlement of scavengers and prospectors. It is here that the narcotic telouze is manufactured, distilled from a viscous black ooze that rises up from lesions in the earth, found in secret caverns either beneath or nearby the ship.  As with most aspects of life at Great Stone Ship, the Telouze trade is tightly controlled by the local chapter of the Rogue’s Knot.

Krag:  Halfway up the slopes of the mountain called Thorn, the White ape city of Krag resides at roughly 350 chains (23,000 feet/7010 meters) above sea level. Although considered somewhat reclusive, the yeti trade with both the Airlords and the Nuphal; however such is not the case regarding the Trund with whom the residents of Krag have an age long enmity. The city’s defenses are considered to be invulnerable, and the Snow Guard, Krag’s army, second to none; however, it is not military prowess for which the city is known, but for sorcery.  While the white apes remain aloof, and officially neutral in regards to politics, individual brothers of Thorn’s Shadow (the city’s fraternal order of sorcerers) are employed as viziers in nearly every court across the breadth of Satan’s Spine.

Port: What is left of the ancient city of Port can be found near the summit of a low mountain rising up from the bone white plain of Demon’s Beach. This lonely mountain was once a small island, but the land lifted and the sea receded, leaving the city marooned far inland.

Due to its altitude, Port has a milder climate than the desert below.  Life flourishes there. The city has two functioning ag-caverns and access to clean water.  Seeing a chance for sustained survival, if not endless wealth, several factions vie for control of the ancient ruins. The rat folk are probably the strongest group, but several individual monsters rival them in power. Port is one of the few places with easily found access to the Etros.

Rrouz: Famed for its smithies and their wares, Rrouz is also the home to many artisans, artificers and craftsmen of all sorts. The city is nominally under Shae control, but taxes are used to pay tribute to Skull and in reality the ruling council is little more than a puppet government; it is Coil who actually controls Rrouz.  Despite this affiliation, the city is far less oppressive than Skull itself. Many expatriates live in a small neighborhood called Skull-town. Everyone trades at R’Rouz.

Skull: Located deep within the Anvil of Sun and ruled over by the devious and gleefully malignant centipede creature known as Coil, Skull is a city built inside the final remaining relic of a long dead god. Despite Skull’s location at the center of the waste, cool air flows through its neighborhoods and lush tropical growth looms over its sparkling canals; further, the city boasts some of the most productive agricultural caverns (green shafts) on the continent.  This fecundity can be attributed in part to vast subterranean sea located far below Skull’s bustling streets, and on which the plants and people of Skull depend upon more than any other resource for their survival. It is perhaps the largest source of untainted water on the continent, maybe the world. Another contributing factor is the vast god skull itself; its osseus dome is semi translucent, blocking the worst effects of the sun, yet allowing sufficient light through to nourish the gardens below.
 
The Skrag:  A generally flat, but somewhat rolling expanse of sage steppe, the Skrag supports a surprising array of life forms. Beneficiaries of rainfall and runoff patterns, scrub and cactus grow in abundance sufficient to support large herbivores and their attendant predators. During lean times, hunters from all over the deep desert will cross over to the Skrag to look for game. This is a dangerous practice, however; the native predators are clever and bloodthirsty opportunists, who wont hesitate to turn a competitor into a meal.

The Endless

Requirements: INT 9
Prime Requisite: STR and INT
Hit Dice: 1d6
XP to second level: 4300





Before their empires crumbled, humans perfected the science of life extension. Although there are (or may be) a few remaining breeder populations, a major subset of the extant human population consists of ancient survivors of the forgotten past. And that past is truly forgotten, because as it turns out, it is very difficult for humans to hold onto memories for more than a couple of hundred years. As a result, the Endless periodically enter a period known as the fugue, where they forget themselves and must begin anew.

Although personal memories are often reduced to images or short difficult to interpret mnemonic flashes not everything is lost. And some things are never wholly forgotten.  Endless never forget the basics of combat and magic use. They can wield any weapon and wear any armor, in addition to casting spells as a sorcerer. For the Endless, the process of level progression is more of a process of recollection than one of new skill acquisition.
Endless advance in combat as Adventurers and may select one advantage from the Adventurer list every three levels (beginning with level 3). [Adventurers will be covered in an upcoming post].

An Endless must have at least 13 in both prime requisites in order to get the +5% to experience. They must also have an INT of 16 and a STR of 13 to get the +10% bonus.
Endless have darkvision of 60 feet, and have keen eyes that allow them, when actively searching, to detect hidden and secret doors with a roll of 1-2 on 1d6. Because of their altered physiques, endless are completely unaffected by the paralysis ghouls and other undead can inflict.


Pretty sure I pinched at least a line or two directly from Labyrinth Lord's Elf class, of which this is more or less just a reskinning.

Great maps! Just the sort of map I like to use.

Just wanted to say that

1. Your thread, along with Benoist's megadungeon thread, is probably the most inspirational thing in this forum right now. You rock.

2. Thanks to you I broke down and picked up a bigass 1960s Marvel TPB when I was in the Canada & the US last week, and I'm having a blast with it right now. Again, you rock.

Keep on rockin'

Ben's thread is indeed awesome.


My perfect Marvel is from about the time Reed and Sue got married to when Kirby left for DC. They're still coasting on shit he made up fro them during that time (as is DC).

Just wanted to say, your sandbox material kicks so much ass, the braying can be heard throughout the wastes.

Much admiration here...and a little envy :p

Rock on, Gib!

Under Xolox, Level One

A spiral stair found within the structure known as the Maiden, leads down into the darkness, and into what was once the true abode of the space vampires. They lived, fed, worshiped their obscene martian gods and exercised their unholy science within these tunnels, leading some scholars to believe that the architecture of Under Xolos is a physical reflection of the aggression, paranoia, isolation and lust that are said to lie at the core of every vampire.

Once the vampires ruled Satan's Spine, but the waxing of the sun brought them down. Here though, at Xolos, isolated from even the wasteland by the lethal vapors of the Blacksmoke sea, one must wonder: what secrets, what treasures, what power might linger?

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/XoloxLVL1_zpsbc380153.jpg)

Wow, I'm amazed.  That looks awesome and like it would work great with ACKS or DCC.

Space
vampires!!!!

This is a link to a blog post that has links to a pair of pdfs i did which have my Gothic mini setting, some NPCS and monsters and the first draft of the first part of an adventure.  (http://themetalearth.blogspot.com/2013/01/old-island-haunted-islands.html)

I hope this counts as spam.

Quote from: Gib;620755I hope this counts as spam.

Can you fry it and serve it with eggs?

Quote from: Gib;620755This is a link to a blog post that has links to a pair of pdfs i did which have my Gothic mini setting, some NPCS and monsters and the first draft of the first part of an adventure.  (http://themetalearth.blogspot.com/2013/01/old-island-haunted-islands.html)

I hope this counts as spam.

Kick-ass stuff! :)

Quote from: Gib;620755This is a link to a blog post that has links to a pair of pdfs i did which have my Gothic mini setting, some NPCS and monsters and the first draft of the first part of an adventure.  (http://themetalearth.blogspot.com/2013/01/old-island-haunted-islands.html)

I hope this counts as spam.

In that case, I'll have the Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, baked beans, and Spam.

*cue the bloody vikings*

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zpse286c02e.jpg)


Caverns of Empire

For the Metal Earth
Epoch: The Age of Lead
Period: The Flare


The. power of the  moonwraith, or space vampire, is thought to have been broken at the dawn of the Flare. However, this is not the case.  They have merely taken themselves and their undying emperor underground, where they reside patiently, in their Caverns of Empire, waiting to resume their mastery of the surface when the sun goes dim once more

Despite the name,  the caverns are not universally controlled by the 'wraiths.  The moonwraith legions made their first forays into the underworld long before the begining of the Flare, and have been there now for five thousand years. They are late comers, however, in comparison to most of the cavern's other intelligent life. Even so, the Empire is, at present, the largest power block in the region beneath Satan's Spine and, presumably, beyond it as well. Many groups strive against the 'wraiths and one another, competing for mastery of the caverns resources and space. The moorlocks; the Men of Baal; the City of the Spiders; and the minions of the abomination, represent some of the more powerful factions. Many galleries and grottos lie unclaimed and wild, however, too savage to be tamed.

Air is manufactured by huge atmosphere plants of ancient, near-mythical origin. Water can be found, but more often than not it is locked in the rocks, boiling, or sealed up in huge subterranean cavities- vast  surfaceless seas, accessible only in certain places.

Hellstone, another important resource both sought after and feared, lies hidden in nodules throughout the earth's strata. This remarkable mineral is thought to be the source of the unnatural fecundity that makes life possible in the caves, and fell beasts in great numbers.  The 'wraiths and some others mine it and make use of it as a sort of magical fuel.


The Current
No discussion of the underworld would be complete without mention of the Current. Both Baalor and the lesser imperial cavern have active horde holes, and fight a continuos battle to hold the seemingly endless stream of undead that flows up from the Earth's core at bay.  The Men of Baal, who are not men at all, have long standing knightly tradition structured around this eternal conflict. It has made them amongst the most deadly fighters in the world. Conversely, although the moonwraiths are mighty fighters, they prefer to combat the problem of the Current with an army made up of unruly slaves, criminals and prisoners of war, the so called Doomed Legion.

Dungeonpunk grey alien

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps5477c703.jpg)

Very gonzo imagery, here.

Yep.  :D

jg

The grey was done as a donation to Jack Shear's ( Dwimmermount hack. I tried to get something that competely defied the OS aesthetic.

(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1538/imagehlq.jpg)

Wrong thread?

Boss.

Quote from: Gib;626547Wrong thread?

Whatever... ;)

For what it's worth, I loved the picture. And I'd love if Reckall did an AP of that campaign too!

I did a "CSI: Port Blacksand" thing as a joke in my Blacksand campaign years ago.. the CSI team there were two goblins without the slightest interest in finding the truth.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;627027I did a "CSI: Port Blacksand" thing as a joke in my Blacksand campaign years ago.. the CSI team there were two goblins without the slightest interest in finding the truth.

I was amazed at the amount of d20 compatible books with useful material for a "serious" fantasy CSI campaign. Books about poisons, herbalism and alchemy are a given, but then you have at least a book about fibers and dyes ("Clothing Bits. Cloths and Dyes" by Dark Quest Games) both magical and mundane; the indispensable "Crime and Punishment" by Keith Baker (with a whole section devoted to investigative tecniques); books on chases for the unavoidable suspects who bolt; and books about normal people like "Everyone Else" by Michael S. Thibault & Richard Ruthman, the "Complete Aristocrat" and "Temptress" (for ideas and plots), and even the recent book by Ed Greenwood about the daily life in the Realms. Back at the HQ high-level Alchemist NPCs can determine from which creature hairs, blood, oozes and body parts come, and so on.

On the top of this, many "real life" cases can be easily adapted to a fantasy milieu by simply changing key elements to their fantasy equivalent (even if I'm now writing an original "Pilot"). One thing I stressed to my players is how they are "strictly CSI": if they have reasons to expect resistance they better call the City Guard before going in, like in the TV show. The CSI has its own Strike Team too. As Captain Grissom Buglord (*) always stresses, "Memorizing an attack spell means memorizing one less investigative spell". Having said that, there always is the risk of unexpected heavy resistance... (and supplements about Waterdeep are so gracious as to give tables about after how much time the City Guard/Watch shows up after the alarm is raised and how they are equipped, according to the District, patrol routes, the average interval of time a tavern/establishment is checked by glancing through the windows, and so on).

Anyway, while doing my research I discovered that the idea is far from new. The "Precinct" series by Keith R. A. DeCandido ("Dragon Precinct", "Unicorn Precinct" and "Goblin Precinct") is about "Law and Order in the fantasy metropolis of Cliff's End", whereas the "Derek Ridder" series by Michael Angel is about and LAPD detective wisked away in a fantasy land with a crime to solve. And of course series like the "Brother Cadfael" one are unvaluable in showing investigative tecniques in a Middle-ages milieu. Nothing is new under the Sun.

P.S. The title song obviously is "I Don't Even Know Myself" by The Who.

Come on all of you big boys, come on all of you elves,
Don't pretend that you know me 'cause I don't even know myself,
I said I don't know myself.

(*) The NPC cast is original, but my players were adamant: "Either the Supervisor is Grissom (and not simply William Petersen or someone "inspired by", but the one and only) or we won't play". I'm considering the idea that Grissom has the "Miffed" supernatural power: when Grissom is miffed all the CSI Waterdeep staff has a +1 circumstance bonus to any roll pertaining an investigation and -1 to any other roll - self-preservation included (attack, damage, saving throws...) I wonder how it will pan out ;)

Quote from: Reckall;627056I was amazed at the amount of d20 compatible books with useful material for a "serious" fantasy CSI campaign. Books about poisons, herbalism and alchemy are a given, but then you have at least a book about fibers and dyes ("Clothing Bits. Cloths and Dyes" by Dark Quest Games) both magical and mundane; the indispensable "Crime and Punishment" by Keith Baker (with a whole section devoted to investigative tecniques); books on chases for the unavoidable suspects who bolt; and books about normal people like "Everyone Else" by Michael S. Thibault & Richard Ruthman, the "Complete Aristocrat" and "Temptress" (for ideas and plots), and even the recent book by Ed Greenwood about the daily life in the Realms. Back at the HQ high-level Alchemist NPCs can determine from which creature hairs, blood, oozes and body parts come, and so on.

On the top of this, many "real life" cases can be easily adapted to a fantasy milieu by simply changing key elements to their fantasy equivalent (even if I'm now writing an original "Pilot"). One thing I stressed to my players is how they are "strictly CSI": if they have reasons to expect resistance they better call the City Guard before going in, like in the TV show. The CSI has its own Strike Team too. As Captain Grissom Buglord (*) always stresses, "Memorizing an attack spell means memorizing one less investigative spell". Having said that, there always is the risk of unexpected heavy resistance... (and supplements about Waterdeep are so gracious as to give tables about after how much time the City Guard/Watch shows up after the alarm is raised and how they are equipped, according to the District, patrol routes, the average interval of time a tavern/establishment is checked by glancing through the windows, and so on).

Anyway, while doing my research I discovered that the idea is far from new. The "Precinct" series by Keith R. A. DeCandido ("Dragon Precinct", "Unicorn Precinct" and "Goblin Precinct") is about "Law and Order in the fantasy metropolis of Cliff's End", whereas the "Derek Ridder" series by Michael Angel is about and LAPD detective wisked away in a fantasy land with a crime to solve. And of course series like the "Brother Cadfael" one are unvaluable in showing investigative tecniques in a Middle-ages milieu. Nothing is new under the Sun.

P.S. The title song obviously is "I Don't Even Know Myself" by The Who.

Come on all of you big boys, come on all of you elves,
Don't pretend that you know me 'cause I don't even know myself,
I said I don't know myself.

(*) The NPC cast is original, but my players were adamant: "Either the Supervisor is Grissom (and not simply William Petersen or someone "inspired by", but the one and only) or we won't play". I'm considering the idea that Grissom has the "Miffed" supernatural power: when Grissom is miffed all the CSI Waterdeep staff has a +1 circumstance bonus to any roll pertaining an investigation and -1 to any other roll - self-preservation included (attack, damage, saving throws...) I wonder how it will pan out ;)

Yes, I can totally see how this can be done seriously.


RPGPundit

Quote from: Reckall;627056And of course series like the "Brother Cadfael" one are unvaluable in showing investigative tecniques in a Middle-ages milieu. Nothing is new under the Sun.

"The Name of the Rose", duh.  :)

Also, I am more of an NCIS fan.  I like the characters better.

And how did a short, 100 post thread manage to be this jam packed with awesome?  Aos is my role-model, I want to be just like him when I grow up.

Quote from: StormBringer;629378"The Name of the Rose", duh.  :)

Well, that's a given :) I read it for the first time in 1982 when I was fourteen and I loved it even if, of course, as a kid I missed 75% of the book value. Truly a book for all ages.

QuoteAlso, I am more of an NCIS fan.  I like the characters better.

In a bit of synchronicity, I bought the DVDs of the First Season last week. I'll give it a whirl.

QuoteAnd how did a short, 100 post thread manage to be this jam packed with awesome?  Aos is my role-model, I want to be just like him when I grow up.

I think the title deserves a lot of credit :)

Quote from: Gib;626547Wrong thread?

I agree.

Can CSI: Waterdeep be split off and become its own thread, please?

Quote from: jeff37923;629524I agree.

Can CSI: Waterdeep be split off and become its own thread, please?

I don't know if it will be necessary: I think we pretty covered everything.

Hey Gib, this thread is just plain fantastic. Mad respect man, mad respect.

This thread, along with the Megadungeon one, is among the very best "how to do rpg setting stuff" I've ever seen.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps92bdf9be.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps8f72018f.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps404e122e.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps6ca8898f.jpg)

DAMN dude that is some beautiful work.  I wish I had the scratch, I'd commission some maps from you!  Holy cats that's pretty.

These are fantastic:)

What's the scale on the hexes again?

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;720557What's the scale on the hexes again?

Whatever you want it to be. Seriously.

Awesome, cool work there Gib.

Quote from: thedungeondelver;720535DAMN dude that is some beautiful work.  I wish I had the scratch, I'd commission some maps from you!  Holy cats that's pretty.

I'm not ready yet, but thank you.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0003-1_zps473ec2d6.jpg)


(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image_zps97889661.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/aa94b70f8027191a858ed6986427027f_zps21d57700.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;720572I'm not ready yet, but thank you.

When you are ready, let us know. I'd like to commission some art from you as well.

Great stuff, Gib.  Love the look of those cavern maps especially.

Quote from: VectorSigma;720604Great stuff, Gib.  Love the look of those cavern maps especially.

Thanks.
The color cavern is probably my current favorite.

I really like the colored caverns, as the toon snapshots within rooms really convey interior mood and detail at a glance. Saves time and feels atmospheric.

And the Sentinel's softened looks leave it prime to be made into a plushy beanie baby. I approve. RPGs need more plush dolls at the table.

Welcome back, and thank you for the maps.

The crude yet powerful simplicity of the first one (with Centaurus at the top) has inspired me to try imitating it.

I also like the apparent Teen Titans reference in "The Jungle of Gar."

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;720642The crude yet powerful simplicity of the first one (with Centaurus at the top) has inspired me to try imitating it.

I also like the apparent Teen Titans reference in "The Jungle of Gar."

Image search the original Divine Right Map; it was a 1980's chit and hex fatasy wargame from TSR. The map in question was inspired by it. As for the Jungle of Gar, I am well acquianted with the Titans, but I just pulled that name out if my ass.

Beautiful maps, all around. I'll be posting specific comments later. Great work!

I remember Divine Right! That was my brother's first introduction to hex chits, TSR, and later D&D to me. I used to love staring at that map and imagining what would be there.

That's one of the reasons I think the power of suggestion in RPG maps & survey, like used in suspense novels & movies, is more useful than gnat's ass diagramming.

Very Nice. :)

Gib do you do urban maps?

Quote from: Opaopajr;720654I remember Divine Right! That was my brother's first introduction to hex chits, TSR, and later D&D to me. I used to love staring at that map and imagining what would be there.

That's one of the reasons I think the power of suggestion in RPG maps & survey, like used in suspense novels & movies, is more useful than gnat's ass diagramming.

I could not agree more.

Quote from: thedungeondelver;720670Gib do you do urban maps?

This is post has my most reecent attempt, but it has been awhile, and I have learned a lot in the interim.

Quote from: Gib;560718

Quote from: Gib;720672This is post has my most reecent attempt, but it has been awhile, and I have learned a lot in the interim.

Ah!  Thank you it'd been a while since I'd seen that one.

Continually excellent stuff here; I'm tempted to think of reasons to use some of these maps in my DCC game.

Thank you.

A doodle which will be reduced and put on a map that I am working on, and have been working on since fucking October. This is the first time I am drawing any of the elements seperately. It seems to work okay, so far.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/382e4aeed3641936f5a5b75c5a1e3fce_zpsda72ad9f.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;722320A doodle which will be reduced and put on a map that I am working on, and have been working on since fucking October. This is the first time I am drawing any of the elements seperately. It seems to work okay, so far.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/382e4aeed3641936f5a5b75c5a1e3fce_zpsda72ad9f.jpg)

Cute!

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/540062a2ee56468b7d013dd8391e93e2_zps2d2ed7ff.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/9907dd8c1f2dcacc2d2f390b06b5b34f_zps87a06123.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/ddaac1116f648dfb4a090185d55d656a_zpsf25c520d.jpg)

Eye-tentacle pit is the cherry on top.

I'm loving everything about the reptilians.

For anyone interested in hexmaps guys, attached is a pdf of a blank hexmap that is 48" x 36".  Someone made it for me, and I'm totally blanking on who it was, and can't find the email it came in.  Basically I wanted it in this size so that I could have the local Kinko's or Staples copy places just print a 3 foot by 4 foot hexmap for me.  There are about 2 1/2 hexes per inch so it is useful for wilderness or detailed cities.  Enjoy!

Shit, I tried to upload it to this post but the forum has a 193 kb limit on pdf's and the file is like 800 kb.  Pundit, any way around that?  Kind of a small size for a limit to for pdf files isn't it?

Your maps and art have this great un self conscious quality that I wish my drawings did.  Great stuff!

Quote from: Joethelawyer;731448For anyone interested in hexmaps guys, attached is a pdf of a blank hexmap that is 48" x 36".  Someone made it for me, and I'm totally blanking on who it was, and can't find the email it came in.  Basically I wanted it in this size so that I could have the local Kinko's or Staples copy places just print a 3 foot by 4 foot hexmap for me.  There are about 2 1/2 hexes per inch so it is useful for wilderness or detailed cities.  Enjoy!

Shit, I tried to upload it to this post but the forum has a 193 kb limit on pdf's and the file is like 800 kb.  Pundit, any way around that?  Kind of a small size for a limit to for pdf files isn't it?

Throw it up some free file hosting? https://www.sendspace.com/

whoever wants it just email me at joetheattorney on gmail

Quote from: Joethelawyer;731575whoever wants it just email me at joetheattorney on gmail

Just to be sure, you do have the rights to it, right?

Well, someone actually made it for me to spec.  I requested certain dimensions, the biggest print size i could get at staples, and someone made it for me.  Far as I can tell it makes it mine to pass around as I like.

Finally found where I got the thing...I copied you in the thread Pundit so you can see the answer as to whether it can be shared.

Here's the link to the pdf
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/33463820/hexmap_blank_48x36in.pdf

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/352b8de6f8b4f106864ba8532bd36331_zps19ca3891.jpg)

Those are some really cool maps! :cool:

Thank you.
Here is another. This one I did for someone else. It is a lost land sort of thing.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/0be7e78709da139ca65e80b5b27f6cc7_zps689f800e.jpg)

Looks like a pretty fun pulp kinda setting.

Those maps of yours are quite cool ! The last you post makes me think of the 13th age, I don't know why.

Quote from: yabaziou;732378Those maps of yours are quite cool ! The last you post makes me think of the 13th age, I don't know why.

If 13th Age is that cool, I might have to give it a look. :)

Gib, you're kicking ass and taking names, bro! :D

Oops repeat post.

Back to characters - and to why some are really hated :p

(http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab347/Vincenzo_Beretta/twin_0023_zpsf10dacf6.jpg)

God, I love those cuddly critters on the lost land map. They need to be made into beanie babies. But I cannot justify commissioning someone to make them -- unless they are used to crush my players' minis! Kaiju dinosaur beanie babies... mu fu fu fu fu fu.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/1c61ca087d12f9a0de0ef050e8a8f238_zpsc3413f5a.jpg)

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/f7e2a1e400b0d3cc735b45015905ad0e_zps4f0fa65e.jpg)

Once more, Gib: thank you for the cool, evocative maps. I'm always happy to see you posting.

Quote from: The Butcher;735682Once more, Gib: thank you for the cool, evocative maps. I'm always happy to see you posting.

Thanks, man.
My ability to ignore online drama and such is at an all time high, which makes posting everywhere a lot easier- except Gplus.

Quote from: Gib;735686except Gplus.

I could never wrap my head around that thing.

Quote from: The Butcher;735697I could never wrap my head around that thing.

Haha, I tried it twice and scuttled my account both times. I found it to be an incredibly banal time-suck.

I'm bouncing back and forth. Good to see you somewhere, both of you.

Cyclops wood complete. There are mountains to the south and east; river/meadow to the west; and the Forest of Spiders to the north.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/6cd92501e6669d4736c345cf42c203d4_zps636e3302.jpg)

Thumbs up. Lots of stuff to do on this map!

I wonder if that giant turtle is an asshole like Morla the Ancient One.

(super cool maps, btw :) )

Another amazing map Gib! Love'em:)

All right, I just have to ask. Do you take comissions?

Quote from: The Butcher;739945All right, I just have to ask. Do you take comissions?

I am too backed up on my own stuff to commit to anything right now, and, beyond that, field season starts in the morning.

There are two kinds of supers games really, the ones based on established universes with actual Comics, and the ones that just take place in some dude's homebrew.
Below, the latter slowly becomes the former. This is WIP, but it is the first page (many more are already drawn) of my comic The Planet Eaters. So it treads the line of RPG related, if that is a problem Mods, let me know.
I plan to launch a new site with a full 22 page chapter on Christmas day.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/c2c9f06b9b27055afd0b2fca4574752d_zps20b97588.jpg)

Great maps and comic, broski.

One page cosmic supers space setting...
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/9c022b661d0b7828325e395cca3f6b4e_zps71beafa8.jpg)

Krang!

That's awesome, mate.

Always happy to see your stuff. Even more só when you're channeling Kirby.

I quite like Krang.

That is awesome, I couldn't comment when I first saw it as I was on my phone.

I don't even play supers or space RPGs. But this makes me want to.

Consolidating
I am putting together a mars game and I am going to use this stuff as a basis. I am just assmblimg it here...

Quote from: Gib;560718Skull, Garden of the Worm

Located deep within the Anvil of Sun and ruled over by the devious and gleefully malignant centipede creature known as Coil, Skull is a city built inside the final remaining relic of a long dead god. Despite Skull’s location at the center of the waste, cool air flows through its neighborhoods and lush tropical growth looms over its sparkling canals; further, the city boasts some of the most productive agricultural caverns (green shafts) on the continent.  This fecundity can be attributed in part to vast subterranean sea located far below Skull’s bustling streets, and on which the plants and people of Skull depend upon more than any other resource for their survival. It is perhaps the largest source of untainted water on the continent, maybe the world. Another contributing factor is the vast god skull itself; its osseus dome is semi translucent, blocking the worst effects of the sun, yet allowing sufficient light through to nourish the gardens below.

And some images:

A rider approaches from the East.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/Skull1colorfinal.jpg)

From the side

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0001-1.jpg)

In Color:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0003.jpg)


From the top
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0004.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;565306Skull is alive with conflict and strife. Arrayed beneath Coil, a myriad of organizations, institutions and societal estates struggle against one another, competing for resources, power and, ultimately, survival. These struggles manifest as a pervasive network of striving discord; this bitter and brittle lattice binds the city together; and friction between its components, as they twist and trespass against one another, provides the fuel that runs the engine of Skull’s society.  To understand Skull, one must understand these entities. The following section will look at the most important of Skull’s social constructs, but only in a cursory fashion. It shall, of course, be taken as read that each is, in reality, a universe in and unto itself, possessed of nuances both varied and numerous, the detailed examination of which lie beyond the scope of this inquiry.

Outsiders:
Several outside groups exert influence in Skull.

Airlords:
Arrogant and xenophobic, the airlords represent the largest independent shae population of Satan’s Spine. No clear indicator exists of the number of either the airlords or the ships in their fleet. What is known, however, is that the airlords are possessed of an advanced and refined airship technology, which they very much do not wish to share. Not only do the airlords wish to maintain sole proprietorship of their airship technology, they, as a matter of policy look upon any independent effort to gain access to the skies with a more than mild disfavor. Traditionally, the airlords have shown they will do whatever necessary to retard or obliterate the progress of any such projects and murder all those involved, as discretely as possible, of course. They currently maintain an embassy in the Forecourt, the main purpose of which is, at least superficially, to further the interest of the lively luxury/sumptuary goods trade, which they engage in with Coil’s priests. As to their feelings regarding Coil’s nascent airship program, none among the embassy contingent has seen fit to offer an opinion official, or otherwise.

The Herd:
Nuphal are large sentient pachyderms that, operating as a collective of clans, known as the Herd, control overland trade throughout the southern half of Satan’s Spine. If it is a staple of life and cannot be produced within Skull, it comes to the city via nuphal caravan. Famed for delivering goods intact and in a timely manner, the nuphal clan caravans boast an excellent reputation. Notably, the Herd represents a key link in the flesh trade. In fact, many worthies in Skull and beyond consider the nuphal caravans the only sensible way to transport slaves, an onerous enterprise at best, but of which the nuphal are the undisputed masters.

Each clan runs a caravan. Currently, twelve clans, each linked to the others through a weak form of ritualized telepathy, are thought to be in existence; each caravan follows the same route, known as the Golden Road, at evenly spaced intervals; excepting the duration of the Season of Storms, a new caravan arrives in Skull every month, usually before or within days of the departure of the most recent previous caravan. Individual nuphal act as caravan organizers, porters and guards. Additionally, the clans employ humanoid agents to further their ends within settlements and mercenaries to help guard their expeditions. Despite the Herd’s use of sell swords, nuphal warriors know few rivals in their capacity for destruction, and, although rare, there are powerful sorcerers among the ranks of the clans.

Currently the Herd is in a dispute with the Brotherhood of Blood regarding pay rates and labor conditions. Their relationship with the Slavers is currently without strife, but trouble may be brewing.

As with the Airlords, the Nuphal are less than enthused in regards to the Worm’s airship program, fearing that it might lead to a compromise of their near monopoly on trade with the city.

Brotherhood of Blood:
The Brotherhood* of Blood is a mercenary guild. Skull is their power base as they have a special relationship with the Ministry of Control to whom they supply a large number of warriors. At any given time, the MoC employs roughly two thousand Brothers to act as bodyguards, fill positions in the watch and the city’s small standing army/expeditionary force, the Worm Guard.
Most of the mercenaries within the city are supplied with the necessary unguent and given lodging with their assignments. However, the Brotherhood provides lodging and other services for its members in the Forecourt, at their large compound: Murder House; administrative offices and training facilities are also located therein.

Currently the Brotherhood is at odds with the Herd regarding contractual rates and obligations. Business between the Herd and Brotherhood, however proceeds, for the most part as normal.

The regional presence of the Brotherhood of Blood is under the command of Field Marshal Krogg, a venerable Sasquatch, veteran of 100 battles; a seeming incorruptible individual, who apparently wishes for nothing more than to maintain the status quo and lose as few of her sell-swords as possible in the process.

(*misnomer as the “Brotherhood” consists of  both males and females as well as many individuals of several other less common variations).

The Rogues’ Knot:
The Rouges’ Knot, or ‘the crew’ as it’s sometimes called is a criminal organization elements of which can be found virtually in every civilized corner of Satan’s Spine.  However, what ever power the crew wields elsewhere, in Skull, the great organization is represented by a loosely knit band of barely competent operatives and semi-independent perpetrators, who, at best, manage to stay just one step ahead of the Worm’s Watch.

The Knot’s strongest beachhead within the city is within the back market community centered in the neighborhoods surrounding the Kennel.  Conflict between the black market vendors, the cutpurses and the blackguards serve to keep the group focused on internal concerns and almost a non-factor in city politics.

However, the leaders of the Knot in other cities watch and wait for a chance to move into Skull and establish a new power base.



The Slavers:
The Slavers have a large presence in Skull. Most of the slaves come from their pits on the island of Chain in the Stained Sea, as products of either their breeding or raiding programs. Many of the slaves are brought from lands far beyond Satan’s Spine and cannot speak the nameless ancient language of the region, and never seem to learn more than the rudiments of the tongue no matter how many years they spend in service.

The Envoy of Eyes is the official title given to the Slavers’ chief representative in Skull. Elegant and cruel, the Lady Brand, a peerless huntress and an assassin of legendary skill, is the current bearer of this honor; thus, she wears the Crown of Eyes, a circlet of metal set with ten evenly spaced, living eyes, giving her a 360º field of vision.  It is said that Lady Brand owes her skill to a Slaver breeding program gone terribly wrong. The truth of this claim is unknown. As with all other slavers, Lady brand dresses in furs at all time, even during the hottest weather, never showing her face. Whatever the case, whatever her secrets, Brand is a being of immense power.

The Slavers keep close relationships with the Brotherhood of Blood and the Nuphal. In many cities Slavers have a close relationship with the Rogues’ Knot, but in skull the thieves guild is not worthy of such an association.

As with the Brotherhood of Blood, it is in the best interest of the Slavers if the status quo remains unchanged. They are quite willing to spill blood to further this end, but will not put themselves at too great of a risk, preferring to ride out change rather than risk over much.

 On a personal note, I spent the last week plus walking across the desert. It sucks and I need to write some rules to mirror that. For one thing, consuming a gallon of water a day would still leave you dehydrated.The good news is you hardly ever have to stop for a piss.

Quote from: Gib;566096The Facility:
A vast Ziggurat of pipe work and concrete, the Facility dominates the region of the True Sea directly beneath Skull. The true nature of the monolithic structure is unknown. Delvers of the underworld and sailors of the True Sea have reported sightings of man shapes upon the walls of the great edifice, but no one has spoken to its inhabitants or is aware of their strange purpose.  
It is thought that the Facility exists to purify the water of the True Sea, but the veracity of the claim is unknown. What is true, however, is that the Facility’s pumps carry the water on which Skull depends for its survival from the sea and up to the city.  No one knows how long the pumps have been going or, for that matter, when they might stop.

Built by a human organization known as the Agency, the Facility dates from a short time before the arrival of the Welt. It is combination storage and research facility, curating weapons and other technology as well as hosting a range of laboratories designed to facilitate many different avenues of research.

Although the marks of deep time are easily seen in the ancient, cracked and crumbling concrete, the rusted pipes and omnipresent fungal infestation of the place, the Facility is not derelict.  Gene engineered monsters patrol the endless network of corridors and rooms and a variety of semi sentient humanoid drones maintain the machines. However, aside from the group’s ubiquitous symbol, little remains of the Agency or the culture that spawned it, but for the powerful and insane Dr. Warp. Unquestioned overlord of the Facility and its denizens, the doctor rules it all and as a descendent of the founders, represents the place’s last vestige of humanity, but in truth, he hasn’t been properly human for a very, very long time.

Quote from: Gib;584617Xolox, in the Black Smoke Sea:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/172p2_0012_zps8c94c403.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;589374(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/DeepDesertGMmap_zpsb66ea929.jpg)
12. Located at the northeastern base of the Hellhole, 12 is a Scorn settlement cluster, consisting of several large dome habitats and a number of underground complexes. The aliens represent the strongest military presence within the Black Smoke Sea, but they cannot be said to truly control the region. The Airlords trade with the Scorn, but neither the Herd nor the Trund do so.

Battlefield Reach:  The trackless, monster infested, radioactive wasteland known as Battlefield Reach sprawls across the ruins of what was once a great super-technological metropolis. Ranging from scrap metal to ancient coins to wondrous items of every possible description, the treasure yielded up by these ruins draws a steady stream of scavengers from across the length and breadth of Satan’s Spine.  Most of the scavenger bands meet up in and operate out of Great Stone Ship.


The Blacksmoke Sea:  Comprised primarily of cursed noxious vapors, toxic volcanic gas and malignant spectral plasm, the Black Smoke Sea occupies a great basin situated between the Western Mountains and the Cracked Land. Hazards abound, above, within and beneath the sea’s deadly black clouds. In addition to the unwholesome atmosphere, mysterious tribes and savage, twisted monstrosities evolved to survive in the poisonous environment inhabit and hunt the basin’s floor; violent seismic activity is frequent; and angry spirits filter and prowl through the gaseous murk, jealous of the living and eager to feast upon them.

The Bleak Mountains: High Windy and cold, the Bleak Mountains, present a marked contrast to the heat and aridity of the desert lowlands, but represent an environment as harsh and hostile to life as any in the region.  During the first decades of their lives, before they depart for the stars, many rocs make their nests on some of the higher peaks.

The remoteness and inaccessibility of the chain makes it an ideal refuge. The Dark Mark (an assassins’ guild) the Cult of Gllorr’r (a vile religion centered around an ancient Martian fertility deity) and countless dark wizards are said to have strongholds, hidden away within the mountain fastness. The White Apes have a city, Krag, halfway up the slope of the Thorn, the highest peak in the chain.  

The Cracked Land:  Boulder fields, volcanic vents and uneven, fissured plains of obsidian make up most of the Cracked Land. Magma elementals live and war amongst themselves in the deeper fissures. Loosely knit Sasquatch motorcycle gangs compete with a savage confederation of Minotaur road warrior tribes for control of the area. Each group lives a nomadic lifestyle, growing food in special oversized trucks and drawing on geothermal heat to power their vehicles.  There are no known permanent settlements.

Demon’s Beach: Once the floor of a long forgotten sea, Demon’s Beach is now a vast and flat expanse of crusted salt. The sun pummels the plain with savage, unrelenting intensity. Little lives above ground. However, a vast network of linked natural and artificial caverns, known as the Etros, lies buried deep beneath most of the salt flat. Many dangerous creatures live here. In most of the rest of Satan’s Spine it is commonly believed that Etros is where the souls of the dead reside. Little is known about the nameless domes in the northeastern expanse of Deamon’s Beach.

Great Stone Ship: A titanic sea-going vessel of unknown origin and purpose, Great Stone Ship lies on the desert floor, marking out the northeast boundary of Battlefield Reach. At the base of the ship, in the shade on its northern side, crouches a lowdown settlement of scavengers and prospectors. It is here that the narcotic telouze is manufactured, distilled from a viscous black ooze that rises up from lesions in the earth, found in secret caverns either beneath or nearby the ship.  As with most aspects of life at Great Stone Ship, the Telouze trade is tightly controlled by the local chapter of the Rogue’s Knot.

Krag:  Halfway up the slopes of the mountain called Thorn, the White ape city of Krag resides at roughly 350 chains (23,000 feet/7010 meters) above sea level. Although considered somewhat reclusive, the yeti trade with both the Airlords and the Nuphal; however such is not the case regarding the Trund with whom the residents of Krag have an age long enmity. The city’s defenses are considered to be invulnerable, and the Snow Guard, Krag’s army, second to none; however, it is not military prowess for which the city is known, but for sorcery.  While the white apes remain aloof, and officially neutral in regards to politics, individual brothers of Thorn’s Shadow (the city’s fraternal order of sorcerers) are employed as viziers in nearly every court across the breadth of Satan’s Spine.

Port: What is left of the ancient city of Port can be found near the summit of a low mountain rising up from the bone white plain of Demon’s Beach. This lonely mountain was once a small island, but the land lifted and the sea receded, leaving the city marooned far inland.

Due to its altitude, Port has a milder climate than the desert below.  Life flourishes there. The city has two functioning ag-caverns and access to clean water.  Seeing a chance for sustained survival, if not endless wealth, several factions vie for control of the ancient ruins. The rat folk are probably the strongest group, but several individual monsters rival them in power. Port is one of the few places with easily found access to the Etros.

Rrouz: Famed for its smithies and their wares, Rrouz is also the home to many artisans, artificers and craftsmen of all sorts. The city is nominally under Shae control, but taxes are used to pay tribute to Skull and in reality the ruling council is little more than a puppet government; it is Coil who actually controls Rrouz.  Despite this affiliation, the city is far less oppressive than Skull itself. Many expatriates live in a small neighborhood called Skull-town. Everyone trades at R’Rouz.

Skull: Located deep within the Anvil of Sun and ruled over by the devious and gleefully malignant centipede creature known as Coil, Skull is a city built inside the final remaining relic of a long dead god. Despite Skull’s location at the center of the waste, cool air flows through its neighborhoods and lush tropical growth looms over its sparkling canals; further, the city boasts some of the most productive agricultural caverns (green shafts) on the continent.  This fecundity can be attributed in part to vast subterranean sea located far below Skull’s bustling streets, and on which the plants and people of Skull depend upon more than any other resource for their survival. It is perhaps the largest source of untainted water on the continent, maybe the world. Another contributing factor is the vast god skull itself; its osseus dome is semi translucent, blocking the worst effects of the sun, yet allowing sufficient light through to nourish the gardens below.
 
The Skrag:  A generally flat, but somewhat rolling expanse of sage steppe, the Skrag supports a surprising array of life forms. Beneficiaries of rainfall and runoff patterns, scrub and cactus grow in abundance sufficient to support large herbivores and their attendant predators. During lean times, hunters from all over the deep desert will cross over to the Skrag to look for game. This is a dangerous practice, however; the native predators are clever and bloodthirsty opportunists, who wont hesitate to turn a competitor into a meal.

I want to play in your game, more than any game I've ever wanted to play in.

Hah, thanks.

As I mentioned elsewhere I have a broken leg and subsequently have lots of time on my hands. I have been going over the stuff above and altering it for a mars based game. This has been pretty easy, which is no surprise, because I was thinking of Athas (Dark Sun) and Barsoom when I made it originally.  

Adding in red and green martians, for example, really works for me.

I'll be using Fantastic Heroes and Whitchery as my base game, and the winged folk and whitchling races too. I am also going to have Wild Maratians, which are beast people like in Kamandi.

For classes I am going to use (from FH&W)

Ranger; Fighter;Thief; Rifleman; Sky Lord (Rocketeer); Savant; Thick Brute; psychic; and Warlock.

As well as:

The Endless (Homebrew class of ancient immortals).

Anyway, not too original, I know, but I am going to call it:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/724dd234e22ce28a151b5d5be0514a4d_zps3c40a9fe.jpg)

Quote from: Gib;800025Hah, thanks.

As I mentioned elsewhere I have a broken leg and subsequently have lots of time on my hands. I have been going over the stuff above and altering it for a mars based game. This has been pretty easy, which is no surprise, because I was thinking of Athas (Dark Sun) and Barsoom when I made it originally.  

Adding in red and green martians, for example, really works for me.

I'll be using Fantastic Heroes and Whitchery as my base game, and the winged folk and whitchling races too. I am also going to have Wild Maratians, which are beast people like in Kamandi.

Fantastic Heroes and Witchery is an excellent ruleset, isn't it?  It's like the WFRP1 of the OSR I think, minus specific setting.

BTW your stuff is crazy awesome, as usual.

Those illustrations look so awesome.

A dead god who leaves a skull...so brilliantly weird.

Good stuff, man.

Get well soon.

Wow that actually got me excited.  The Old Mars looks pretty good and you should make a pdf out of it.  Then sell it.

Any chance you can re-config those pics?

Quote from: One Horse Town;800128Any chance you can re-config those pics?

Er... i'll try tonight, I am on the tablet now.

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/05f100fedb870e5211855af21c57c758_zps98608252.jpg)

Stark's Reach, an altered bersion of an old msp.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/4c8a73995f05da9959f5aa934d6a1c59_zps06dcdf03.jpg)

Fantastic looking stuff.  Your players are lucky SOBs.

Thanks, this most recent round of stuff is due to being housebound.

More mars here, I am still fooling with this one, but I like it so far...

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/36264897ae18799dbdc74b2315e3c8c4_zps068222fa.jpg)

Sorry, I haven't figured out how to fix the images, yet.

.........Mars......
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/72ccccdf90b0055baa677c91d1c5cf0c_zps58509af8.jpg)

This thread is amazing. Thank you!

Quote from: Gib;800255Thanks, this most recent round of stuff is due to being housebound.

You know, you're just about ensuring we get a Kickstarter going to hire Tonya Harding to break your other leg when this one heals. :D

Quote from: CRKrueger;800826You know, you're just about ensuring we get a Kickstarter going to hire Tonya Harding to break your other leg when this one heals. :D

She'll fuck up the money and in the end all you'll get is a .pdf.

Mmmmmars
My campaign area.
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/5f17605b4ac0ce37cc3fe23095e3b4f1_zps812f4a1d.jpg)

as always Gib, good stuff:)

Torgo!

Quote from: James Gillen;805439Torgo!

Indeed.

On xmass I launch my comic. Here is a cover preview:

(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/2fad06c0fcd6156fbc772feb2396ade2_zps907d9bfb.jpg)

Your maps are super creative, and I really like your color work. :)

Makes me think Jack Kirby and Mike Allred If They Mated. Which is good.

Quote from: everloss;805628Makes me think Jack Kirby and Mike Allred If They Mated. Which is good.

Heh.

JG

Thanks to everyone for looking.

I launched the comic yesterday, I'll be updating on Mondays.
Link to start: Cosmic Tales (http://cosmic-tales.tumblr.com/page/7).

Sketch
I'm not gaming right now, mostly because I suck at modules and all prep time goes to the comic, which I find more satisfying than being a game-mommy.

Anyway, I've been practicing:
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/140896043b170b205460273fbf1308d1_zpsbb2b6768.jpg)

I so want a Starsky & Hutch episodic of Torgo & the Sentinel.

this is the cover of free 5pg pdf I am releasing through my blog on Monday. (http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n552/Junkyinthethrunky/image.jpg1_zpseoouhaxx.jpg)

If those are dinosaurs and pteranodons I see in the Jungle of Gar I say this realm is worth exploring!