Knights of The Dinner Table 250

Bundle of Trouble vol.
57
The Untouchable Trio +1 returns to

Meatgrinder Rock and awakens an
evil foe of theirs. The results are not
good. Get your copy now in either
print or PDF format!
Bundle of Trouble vol. 58
The Return to Meatgrinder Rock

and its apocalyptic, globe-spanning
consequences await. Get your copy
now in either print or PDF format!
CONTENTS
ISSUE 250: 50 MILE TAVERN
REGULAR COLUMNS
46 Tales from the Table
DEPARTMENTS Actual Tales from the Gaming Table
57 Web Scryer
Return to the Many Worlds of Stargate SG-1 by Ken Newquist
4 Cries from the Attic
Editorial of a madman
GAMEMASTER’S WORKSHOP
5 Table Talk: Letters Page

42 Denizens of Tellene
Nariela Lonsem, Bittleson, Arfen Firfire, Lord Veos by Barb Blackburn
Our readers talk back
60 48 All Things Magic

Back Room at the Games Pit
Rings of Bonding by Barb Blackburn
An opinion arena where
readers can sound off 49 Bait And Tackle
Adventure hooks on the fly
62 Weird Pete’s Bulletin Board
51 Deadly Trappings
Classified ads, personals
and other strangeness Chomper by Barb Blackburn
REVIEWS
SPECIAL FEATURES
52 Lost Game Safari
31 by Alan Hume
Gangbusters
Tales of Tellene
55 Indy Game Scene
The Kalenal Lotak,
by J.L. Duncan
Kalamaran Frontier
Wild Skies: Europa Tempest
Cohort
By Bill Urban
58 Off the Shelf
34 by Noah Chinn
Armada
Gaming the 59 Brian’s Picks

Movies Achtung! Cthulhu: Terrors of the
Killjoys Secret War, Chaos Earth:
Resurrection, War of Ashes Fate
by James Davenport of Agaptus
© Copyright 2017, Kenzer and Company, All Rights Reserved. Knights of the Dinner Table® magazine
(ISSN 1526-307X) is published monthly by Kenzer and Company, 1659 N Claremont Ave, Chicago, IL 60647.
LEGAL NOTICE: Knights of the Dinner Table, HackMaster and Kingdoms of Kalamar are registered trademarks of Kenzer and Company. 50 Mile Tavern™, All Things Magic, Back Room at the
Games Pit, Bait and Tackle, Board Squawk, Brian’s Small Press Picks, Celebrity Hack, Cries from the Attic, Deadly Trappings, Disks of Wondrous Power, GameMasters’ Workshop, Game
Mechanic, Gamer Pulpit, GameVine, Gaming the Movies, Gary Jackson Files, Hacklopedia of Beasts, Hard Eight Enterprises, kenzerco.com, KODT, Lookin’ at Comics, Off the Shelf, One-Two
Punches, Parting Shots, Players’ Advantage, Radio Free KODT, Retro-KODT, RFKODT, Rustlers of the Night, SpellJacked, Summon Web Scryer, Table Talk, Tales from the Table, The Gamer’s
Rant on the Movies/TV. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The “Indy” Game Scene, the Kenzer and Company Logo, The Quotable Gamer, Weird Pete’s Bulletin Board, W.W.A.G.D. and all
prominent characters and likenesses thereof are trademarks of Kenzer and Company.
2 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

®
COMIC STRIPS
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE
PUBLISHER Kenzer and Company

7 Twitching Hour Express
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
9 Race for Freedom Jolly R. Blackburn • jolly@kenzerco.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
13 Pleased to Meet Barbara Blackburn • barb_blackburn@kenzerco.com
You — What’s Your
KODT DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Name
Jolly R. Blackburn • Steve Johansson
18 Dawg Pile David S. Kenzer • Brian Jelke • Barbara Blackburn (+1)
HACKMASTER EDITOR Steve Johansson • steve@kenzerco.com
21 It Ain’t Over Til It’s
Over KODT STRIP ART Jolly R. Blackburn
COVER ART Fraim Brothers
25 Playing It Forward CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
28 Special Request Brendon Fraim • Brian Fraim
Bill “Indy” Cavalier
63 One-Two Punches Jolly Blackburn • Neal Byles
Carolyn Stogdill • Cosmo Joe
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kenneth Newquist • Noah Chinn • Bill Urban
Barbara Blackburn • Jolly R. Blackburn • James Davenport
J.L. Duncan • Alan Hume • Benjamin Lomax • Andy Miller
OTHER TOONS
SALES/MARKETING/ADVERTISING
64 Additional Cartoons Steve Johansson • steve@kenzerco.com • 847-858-6847
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES orders@kenzerco.com
Bill “Indy” Cavalier, Carolyn Stogdill,
Neal Byles, Cosmo Joe CHARMED PERSONS
Kevin Vance • Jack Grayson • Craig Zipse
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This month’s cover is E-Mail: questions@kenzerco.com • Phone: 847.858.6847
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It’s a continuation of a Submissions: We accept submissions for strip ideas, jokes, cartoons,
theme that appeared etc. We are interested in running anything that other gamers and fans
on the cover of Issue 225. would enjoy. Check out our website for writer’s guidelines.
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D T ™ was accidentally created by Jolly R. Blackburn
NIGHTS OF THE INNER ABLE
K way back in 1990 as ‘filler’ for his small press magazine, Shadis. It was
something of a ‘creative burp’ and Jolly really didn’t give it much thought.
Kenzer & Company KODT Subscriptions,
1659 N Claremont Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Perhaps that’s why he was just as surprised as anyone that soon KODT was
overshadowing everything else he’d ever done and that the created was now Back Issues: Older issues and other KODT merchandise are avail-
able for direct purchase on our website at HTTP://WWW.KENZERCO.COM
controlling the creator. The Knights have gone far beyond anything Jolly or the D-Team (David
Kenzer, Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson and Barbara Blackburn) ever imagined. In 2006, Jolly was ATTENTION RETAILERS: If you are having difficulty getting our
inducted into the Hall of Fame. Now, with over 250 issues and over 76 trade paper backs under product (including back issues and RPGs) please call or e-mail us.
their belts, it’s been a wild ride and we look forward to seeing where the Knights take us next.
Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 3

OF DICE AND MEN
W
elcome back! Wow — 250 issues of Anyone who follows me on Facebook, knows I use
Knights of the Dinner Table, eh...? I’ll my wall as an outlet to share, vent and even as a
just drop the obligatory, “wow” down
source of inspiration. I often post about settling down
here and once again comment on how time flies. It
seems like just a few months ago I was sitting here to chase the ‘deadline rabbit’ when I’m struggling to
penning my thoughts at the 150 mark. finish a strip. And while it does get tedious at times
Before I sat down to write this editorial, I took some and that chase begins anew every month, I hope no
time to flip through several issues from the past. I’ll
one mistakes it as complaining. For it certainly isn’t.
make a confession here — some of it is a blur. In fact,
there are strips that have appeared in KODT that I My father, who recently passed, was very good at
haven’t read in 15 years or so. reminding me of a very basic truth — that loving and
And since we’re being honest, there are even a few enjoying your work is a very rare thing. The fact that
strips I have no recollection of writing at all. (Remind
my work provides an opportunity to meet new
me someday to tell you the story about how I was
working on a six page strip when it dawned on me it was people, play games and occasionally travel is just
a strip I had already written and published a decade extra sauce.
earlier — the unfortunate downside to jotting down
So this Thanksgiving, I’m feeling very grateful
story ideas in multiple notebooks over the years).
toward everyone who has picked up one of our
Who would’ve thunk— that such a motely crew of
badly drawn characters would drag me along for products, subscribed to KODT or otherwise made this
such a fantastic ride? Most of the people I consider on-going journey possible.
good friends today, I met directly because of the
Knights or because the comic caused pathways to Game on!
cross that might not have done so otherwise. From
the folks I work with, those I game with... Hell, even
the community where I live and the house I own was Jolly R. Blackburn
determined by by the Knights when I think about it. November 12, 2017
Twenty Years Ago This Month: Dave gets some GM Screen time.
Dragon Magazne, November 1997

this is ILL ADVISED — the game’s called “NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH”!
you should be focused on your OWN STREET. this is YOUR turf.
sir, the PLAYER BILL OF RIGHTS state that “no

player action may be FLATLY denied if the characters
possess the will, means, skills and or knowledge to...”
that’s
the right
-sputter- you’re citing he’s right pete. ARTICLE citation
the P.B OF R....? to ME? IV PARAGRAPH 2! all right.
A familiar movie, song or story helps shop to get it. [Shoutout to Star Comics,
somehow when you feel your worst.) Lubbock TX]
After scowling at title after title on the I haven't roleplayed since 1986 [AD&D
spines and covers of overfilled shelves and Chaosium mostly] and did not discover
EDITOR’S NOTE: The mail just throughout my house, I soon had Bundles of the Knights until Issue 38 or 39.
never seems to stop. While we Trouble vol 1 in hand and it felt right. I did Soon my high-school aged son who never
make every effort to read each and not stop reading KODT and I caught up roleplayed was waiting impatiently for me
every letter, it is not always possible current at about issue 243. And I did feel to finish whatever current issue or BOT or
to give a personal reply. Even if your letter better while engrossed in the stories. That TFTV so he could devour them as well. That
doesn’t happen to be published or if you don’t wasn't even included in the cover price. wasn't in the cover price. I couldn't order
get a direct response, rest assured you are This time through (3rd time in full), I that from Diamond Previews. You gave me
being heard. appreciated character and growth as much something this great to share. That cannot
Remember, KODT is an interactive as the laughs I always get there. The B.A. be valued or measured.
magazine. We want you, the reader, to be and Patty relationship is my new favorite I feel I was really unable to articulate how
involved. So keep your suggestions, thoughts aspect of the series and it seems real and much the magazine and the team that
and opinions (constructive and otherwise) natural - a compliment to the writing. creates it means to me, but consider any of
coming. Opinions expressed by readers are Working forward, positive growth in every this OK To Print.
not necessarily shared by the editor or Kenzer aspect is seen. From issue 1, the improve- Scott Hutchinson
and Company. Please be aware that due to ment of consistency in the scripting and line
Thanks for the letter, Scott. Just wanted to
space considerations, some letters have been art is obvious to even casual readers.
add that there is a Lubbock, Texas connection
edited and/or trimmed. — Jolly And the art of the publishing business (not to KODT. Sort of. My mom and dad lived there
as obviously noticed, maybe, and of which I back in the 50’s. Both my brothers were born
KODT 250 know only from reading) seems to be there. Just wanted to say that. — Jolly
successfully exemplified by the KODT parent
I thought I had a facility with language, a
company.
way with words, until I tried to put down EDITOR’S NOTE
what Knights of the Dinner means to me. I've never been to a con and met them,
but I know they are good people just like I Normally, we run two to three pages of
Working backward, I lost my mom in reader mail in KODT, and I did in fact have
know the characters aren't real people, but I
January 2017 and when I was finally home two more pages laid out for this issue — but
love them.
and decompressed, relaxed and had on I discovered the strips were going to run
comfy pants, I shot straight for literature to I began reading in 1970 and comics were long — I had to steal two pages from this
find solace. (It's always art, isn't it? a big part and still are. Although KODT is the area. They’ll run in a future issue. — Jolly
only comic I buy now, I still go to my comic
q
HOW TO CONTACT US
^: Via ONLINE FORUM — Just pop over to www.kenzerco.com and visit our discussion forums
7: via E-MAIL — Send your strip ideas, reader mail, back room fodder and questions to jolly@kenzerco.com
. via SNAIL MAIL — Or write to us at KODT c/o KenzerCo 309 S Dilger Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
z: via TWITTER — kenzerco or jollybgood FB: via Facebook — Kenzerco OR Jolly Blackburn
HACKMASTER BASIC HACKMASTER BASIC PLUS HM PLAYERS HANDBOOK
FREE!! Get everything you need to play $9.99 -- mere copper pieces. HMb+ features The other options are nice but nothing beats
HackMaster new edition. Just go to our expanded rules, price lists, skills, spells, and the feeling of this premium 400 page, leathered
website, download and CLAIM your prize! more. Priced to be easy on the wallet and book in your hands jam packed with the
put you at the table with a fistful of dice. full rules, pro-tips, lists and examples of play.
Twitching Hour Express by jolly r. blackburn
GAMES PIT: pete’s one-off adventure, “NEIGHBORHOOD

WATCH” has run amok & stretches on into the night... mind you — it was a GUESSTIMATE at best — made
on the FLY. — but maybe 10d6 WAS a tad low.
whoah -
oh, er, no — pete. it’s okay.
where ya
goin’ pete..? GOOGLE..? thought, like you said - we were belly achin’.
what the \’d check.
\ was out of line — it’s FINE.
hell for?
hold on if he’s willin’ to UP no — we’re GOOD,
the damage — he might newt. 10d6 was
RETROACTIVELY rule we took MORE than fair.
eh — while out those ORGRON * BRUISERS
to do a bit of
LLOYD’s makin’ who popped up in the generous,
RESEARCH — on actually.
that PHONE CALL, TREATED LUMBER AISLE.
\’m gonna do a quick CLAYMORE MINES.
GOOGLE SEARCH
you girls BITCHED
on my desktop.
and MOANED on
the DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT \
assigned ‘em.
are you SURE...?!! we don’t want him

\ know, \ know — being a “KILLER GM”...**
getting ANYWHERE
coz you threw a ROYAL near a SEARCH ENGINE...
can we just FINISH going through these
HISSY FIT when ACTIONS on IMPROVING our DEFENSES...? ***
\ made that call.
he might figure out
\ wasn’t tryin’ to SCREW YA, ya know...
no small town NATIONAL
\’m just tryin’ to be FAIR it’s just that the RULES don’t cover
GUARD UNIT has any
— coz GAWD knows \’d CLAYMORES — \ went with my GUT.
RIGHT havin’ CLAYMORE
hate to be ACCUSED of... MINES in their arsenal.
\ don’t want ya comin’ back LATER and
claimin’ \ LOW BALLED ya on the DAMAGE YIELD. yeah, we don’t
want him
exactly.
back peddling.
that’s how like she said -
REPUTATIONS whew. that
we’re GOOD was close.
are IMPUGNED.
pete. really.
hey, LLOYD — yer back. well — it just didn’t feel right —

you’ve got the leavin’ you guys in a LURCH an all.
makings of a
so HOW’D it go...?
TRUE GAMER.
of course not.
\’m good — \ went ahead besides — after glad you decided
you did WAY TO doing ALL that
took that SICK DAY. to make that call.
the right PRIORITIZE. work FORTIFYING
my buddy, MINCE thing, LLOYD. the school bus —
is gonna COVER once again —
we’d be there’s just NO spoken like a
me in LOADING.
HURTING way \’m missin’ TRUE GAMER.
sweet! without ya. the TWITCHING
HOUR EXPRESS
when she rolls.
* See KODT #227: Half Ogres. Featured in Rustlers of the Night.

** See KODT #247: Pete was offended when Eddie and Shee claimed he was a killer GM.
*** See KODT #249 – Clean Up in Aisle Five: After raiding the National Guard Armory, the party cleared out the local Home Depot and has established
it as their base of operations.

a wee bit later.... meanwhile the BUGBEARS on the LOADING DOCK out back continue thier
BATTERING of the BAY DOORS with TELEPHONE POLES they pulled out of
you SPRAY the BREACH in the ground — so far the pallets of SACKRETE you placed up against ‘em
the CONCRETE WALL with HEAVY along with the REINFORCED STEEL WEBBING welded in place are holding.
MACHINE GUN FIRE, LLOYD.
LOBBIN’ A GRENADE bastards are TESTING our defenses again.
OFF THE ROOF, pete!!
when the SMOKE clears, an
ORGRON riddled with WOUNDS we’re gonna need more BAGS of
lies bleeding on the DEBRIS PILE. concrete on those doors, eddie.
then \’m hittin’ the chargin’
handle and setting
putting pullin’ the
not that the BUG- off the LEFT BANK of
another BELT FORK LIFT
BEAR who was claymores on the DOCK!
on the FIFTY! around here, pete!
assistin’ him
sheds any TEARS. roll me 10d6 EAT THIS!
he grabs the
brute’s MATTOCK -sho
oka-
and withdraws! a- -sho
ook oka-
-sh ooka-
-sh
a wee bit later still... no SIDE TREKS — straight there and BACK. got it?
alright guys — the TWITCHING you’re gonna be HARD PRESSED for time makin’
HOUR begins in FIVE MINUTES. * it BACK before the GOONIES come out of stasis.
LLOYD — you and no — not on THIS trip! we need more ABLE

NEWT get ready to \ was HOPIN’ to swing BODIES here to HELP with defense. \ want
ROLL in the BUS! back by the ARMORY. as MANY survivors as we can round up.
CHATTER on CITIZEN for the BRADLEY. what about the GROUP they’re on
BAND indicates who radioed in? on their OWN
there are a GROUP the OVER PASS...? for now.
we could use
of SURVIVORS on
more AMMO too.
the ROOF of the “Y”
twelve clicks out.
\ want you to go
FETCH ‘em — pick
up any other
STRAGGLERS
you encounter.
they‘re too far out and we’re throwin’ the

SOMETHING about them is FIFTY in the bus, pete.
in case you get
makin’ my SPIDEY SENSES go off. along with some EXTRA a NOSE BLEED —
m16’s and magazines. a first
when \ SLAP that
aid kit in case there are injuries.
\ think a certain GM SMIRK off yer face.
you think
is anxious to deal us
it’s a TRAP? oh — and a JENNY along
some HURT and is with a couple of cans of
dangling a CANDIED FIX-A-FLAT and a
HOSTILES maybe?
CARROT — hopin’ he portable AIR COMPRESSOR.
can LURE us out.
\’ll grab a ROCK STAR and
that’s what some SLIM JIMS from the
SNACK aisle as well.
\ think.
you want some
but we’re MOIST what
not biting. TOWELETTES for?
as well...?
not
just
yet.
* See KODT #249 – Flip the Script: Sheila and crew come up with a plan to move their base of operations during the “twitching hour” -- the hour when
the monsters are in stasis and inactive.

Race for Freedom by jolly r. blackburn
mr. jackson, those poor animals

HOOLIGAN’S PUB: the HONOR MATCH between the
are SPENT — they’re DONE IN.
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE and HARD EIGHT is
in its FINAL MOMENTS as the last five surviving
\ REALLY think we should sTOP
players race toward the HOME STRETCH.
for a bit and let ‘em REsT.
the “PACK” has finally managed to ESCAPE the we don’t have that
SMOKING MAN’s pen and are DESPERATELY trying luxury, MS. FELTON well we can
to put DISTANCE between themselves and the — and you know it. SLOW the
DOUBLE WIDE before he can CATCH UP with them... pace — we
it’s “KEEP UP or can do THAT
be left behind” can’t we...?
GEEZUS — we
as you RUN down the don’t have TIME
SLOPE and spill into the FOOT for this, girls.
HIGH clover of the MEADOW — a
GENTLE WIND blows up from the
CREEK beyond — bringing with it FELTON, MUNCIE
the pungent smell of MUDDY — HERD UP those
WATER, decaying leaves and OLDER CURS—
GLORIOUS FREEDOM! get ‘em BACK
with the PACK.
most of these poor souls have
comprised of two only known the SHELTERED
DOZEN DOGS of mixed ZEKE, VANHOOSE
LIFE of simple HOUSE PETS —
breeds, size and ages the — you two deal
PACK is in TOTAL DISODER! with the PUPPIES —
lives they were cruelly SNATCHED
box their EARS if
WINDED — some of the OLDER DOGS from — now, they’re scared,
you HAVE to.
have FALLEN OFF from the MAIN half-starved, cold and abused.
group and TRAIL behind
further up slope.
while the if we keep

YOUNGER PUPS — PUSHING ‘em
there won’t
clueless of the group’s let’s go guys —
PLIGHT — SCAMPER to BE a pack.
MOVE IT, MOVE IT!
and FRO in the meadow, we have GOT to
wandering off in make it to those
different directions. WOODS beyond
the CREEK.
look — \’m not HEARTLESS. “CULL OUT THE WEAK”...?!! you mean we just LEAVE ‘EM...?
it’s a SAD TRUTH but oh no. NEVER — no DAWG left behind, \ say.
it’s the LAW OF DAWG —
he’s right, guys.
“protect the PACK at all
costs — even if it means as ALPHA, \ AIM to PRESERVE THE
CULLING out the weak”. the SMOKING MAN isn’t PACK — as much as possible anyways.
going to be LONG in
comin’ after us — after keep everyone together okay - but we
if the OPENING UP that LEG of — and we don’t have to can’t just
SMOKING his when we ESCAPED...? make TOUGH decisions. leave dogs
MAN catches behind— alone.
up to us we it’s gonna be capiche...? alright, we just can’t.
ALL go back. VERY personal aright.
if he
bothers
taking us
BACK
at all.
^ “okay, as you enter the hallway something very strange happens. very strange indeed.
bob, your crossbow begins to glow and suddenly changes into a RED RYDER BB-GUN!!”
—Nitro Fergueson Bundle of Trouble #2, The Lord of Steam

hold that thought, gary — as you sit in the MEADOW
aht, aht, aht — \ debating your course of action the distant RING-
didn’t say anything DING-DING of a TWO-STROKE engine greets your ears.
about “WE” leavin’
anyone behind ALONE. it’s FAINT at first but grows LOUDER by the second — it
FINALLY becomes a DULL ROAR as you look UP SLOPE and CRIPES — and
see a THREE WHEELED SCOOTER crest the top of the hill. we’re CAUGHT
now DID, \...? right out in
the OPEN.
the small ATV goes AIRBORNE and there it is...
for just a moment and then LANDS this is bad.
as PACK
with a thud in a CLOUD OF DUST —
ALPHA it’ll \’m not going
to your HORROR you see the it’s SHOW-
be my BACK without a
SMOKING MAN coming toward you. TIME, folks.
responsibility FIGHT — \ can tell
to.... you THAT much.
oh gawd..
shirtless with his NASCAR CAP turned BRIM seconds later...

backwards, his braided hair fluttering in the
wind, the SMOKING MAN has BLOOD IN HIS EYE. okay, LISTEN UP. here’s what’s going to happen.
SEEING his QUARRY before him he REVS the
engine as his lips curl to reveal a yellow- you guys are gonna GO with the pack.
toothed SMILE — punctuated by the LARGE
GAP formed by several missing teeth.
\’ll give this GUTLESS TURD
he has the CATTLE PROD as much TROUBLE as \ can \’ll come with you, sir.
slung across his back and — to BUY you some time. TWO can make more
his PISTOL shoved down trouble than one.
the waistband of his pants.
wait — yer not
coming with us? no, you all go
one THIGH is tied off with a
BLOOD-SPOTTED tourniquet. — \’ll STAY.
lemme see some

INITIATIVE ROLLS!
the PACK needs its ALPHA MALE. slow him down NO — \ said, |’VE GOT THIS...
like HELL —
the man’s ARMED.
this HIP’s gonna SLOW me this ain’t no democracy and you don’t have a
down anyway — \’m just a \ vote we SCATTER. vote — we don’t have the TIME to discuss it.
LIABILITY waiting to happen.
he can’t capture
ALL of us. the REST of you will go with the pack
you go... and leave the SMOKING MAN to me.
\’ll SLOW him those who make it -

heh — then count me
down some. can REGROUP beyond if \ SURVIVE, \’ll
as a “STRAGGLER”
the CREEK later. be along LATER
coz, \’m stayin.
— with any
STRAGGLERS.
^ “we take out a DRAGON and four KRULLERS just to be done in by SEWER GAS?”
—Sara. Felton, Bundle of Trouble #6, Dead Man’s Bluff

not this time, MUNCIE. \’m just doing what even if it means,
every LEADER is -ahem- great
you’re the ALPHA now. COMPELLED to do, zeke. PERSONAL
gary what the hell
SACRIFICE!!
are you doing...? PROTECTING those
pack is YOUR under him at ALL COSTS.
responsibility. it’s SUICIDE.
-sputter-
don’t SHIRK it. \’m the

ALPHA...?
WILY BASTARD — he just PLAYED us.

what the hell...?
yeah.
-sigh-
huh...?
z
did we MISS
whadda something...?
DAMMIT..! ya mean, you don’t
BIG GUY? what’s wrong? SEE it...?
HE’S MAKIN’ AN END RUN!!

\ had hoped to
goin’ for the HEROIC SACRIFICE points. * BANK those
points MYSELF.
um..., heroic sacrifice...?

heh - makes it even
coz it was my
SWEETER that you
nobody said anything TRUMP card.
SEE it coming.
about POINTS for that.
that’s why.
why is this NEW information?
* See KODT #249 – The 411: Gary and his gang figure out that Jake Berlin mentioned “heroic sacrifice” a lot in his books and plans to cash in on the points
for it. Brian, in KODT #248, also revealed to his team that he had read all of Berlin’s books and was prepared for the point pool approach to handing out
experience points.

too bad for you... MR. BERLIN — \ PUSH the ROTTWEILER
aside and SPRINT FORWARD to
since each CATEGORY can CONFRONT the SMOKING MAN!!
only be SCORED ONCE. those points
haven’t been
yeah, yeah — ME TOO!!
banked YET...
but THANK YOU \’m RUNNING
for playing. at the ATV!!
oh now
-snicker-
HOLD on... HEY..¡¿¿ BACK OFF that may be but
MUNCIE — I \’m making the
dammit. ALREADY CALLED SACRIFICE right
MY INTENT¡ here, baby! good
z
job,
guys.
M-MR BERLIN — \ see

screw this — what’s HAPPENING YO — \ see the YORKIE attack our
\’m SPRINTING! and \’m RIGHT there. ALPHA and \ LEAP into the FRAY!!
and \’m BURNIN’ a \ ATTACK GARY. \’m attempting to LOCK JAWS

point of CON to boost with a THROAT GRAB here!!
my SPEED by 2!!
\ realize he’s about to
LAY DOWN his life and \
RISK MINE to STOP HIM! just give me my TO-
really...? you
HIT MODIFIER — don’t
guys want to
bother to LOOK it up.
go PVP...?
NOW..?!! c’mon - just give good boy,

me a NUMBER! ZEKE!
-sh
-sh ooka
oo -
ka- -sh
-sh ooka
oo -
ka-
um, yeah — here’s a NUMBER for you. and MISS FELTON —

you can make a DODGE
ROLL. to see if you can
EVADE the THREE WHEELED shoot — \
take off SIX SCOOTER as it attempts FUMBLED. how
POINTS of damage... to RUN YOU DOWN in bad is it?
your TRACKS!
from the SLUG

the SMOKING MAN
just put through
your RIB CAGE. \ was RIGHT behind
her — can \ SPRING
BOARD off her BODY
\ try to grab and LUNGE at the
the BACK of the SMOKING MAN?
ROTTWEILER’S leg
and HAMSTRING him
with a THRASHING
SHAKE!!
^ “bob, \ think you’re a little OVERCONFIDENT about this aren’t you? besides you
BLINDED NITRO by dumping an opened SALT SHAKER in his eyes and
then you SMACKED him on the back of the head with a HACKMASTER’S GM GUIDE!!”
—B.A. Felton, Bundle of Trouble #8, Help Wanted!!

Pleased to Meet You — What’s Your Name by jolly r. blackburn
meanwhile...
pete, \ HIT the remote on the DOORS and SWING
the FORK LIFT ‘round into FIRING POSITION!!
TIGHT controlled
you CAREEN into the \’m raisin’ the FORKS to BURSTS here!
PARKING LOT — smashing TILT the LOAD BACK to
through the GATES leading give SHEE better COVER! MINDFUL of minimizing any
to the LOADING DOCKS. COLLATERAL DAMAGE
the LEFT FRONT soon as the BUS is

safe inside those
TIRE is SHREDDED as
DOORS come down
you run over your OWN GAAAA!! \ FIRE and we MOP UP any
caltrop emplacements. my .45 through the ROACHES that may
WINDSHIELD at the have SCURRIED in!
KOBOLD clinging
to the WIPERS!!
pete, \ CALL IN the ONE-ARMED ORGRON standin’ astride

that we’re COMIN’ the ROOF of the bus, hangin’ ten is KNOCKED
IN HOT and to OPEN CLEAR as the vehicle roars into the BAY!!
the BAY DOORS!!
several GNOLLS who had been LYING in hiding among
the piles of RAILROAD TIES in the yard POP UP and
attempt to FOLLOW IN behind the vehicle. one of them
is shooting an AR-15 wildly until it JAMS on ‘im.
peppered by fragments of
newt, you FIRE and the ASPHALT and CONCRETE from
SHELL hits the REBAR shee’s SUPPRESSIVE FIRE
CAGE over the windshield HEAD’S UP GUYS they QUICKLY rethink their
— you are hit with — we’re bringing ACTION and DIVE for cover.
SHARDS of fragmented COMPANY!!!
metal for THREE POINTS!
meanwhile the
TRIO of bugbears
movin’ up on the
RIGHT manage to
SLIP in before the
DOORS come down!
the LAST ONE in kneels to place a FENCE POST under the ROLLING DOOR to prevent it from FULLY CLOSING.
throwin’ the BUS in PARK — \ tell the

a SHRILL WHISTLE alerts a small band of SURVIVORS to HUNKER DOWN to give
the FURRY BASTARDS to rise up from their HIDING me a CLEAR line of fire out the windows. layin’ down
PLACES in the yard and STORM the LOADING DOCK! FIRE on
steerin’ the LIFT with one hand — that OPEN
several of slappin’ in a ROOSTER COGBURN’N it with
S-SPUTTER¡¡ entryway!!
them are magazine! the 12 GUAGE with the OTHER!
equipped with POPPIN’ OFF an M406
SMALL ARMS. HIGH EXPLOSIVE GRENADE
from my M203 here, pete!!
-s
-s hook
ho
ok a-
a-
a-
ook a-
-sh ooka- ook
-sh ooka-
-sh h
-s
^ “oh man! WASTED BY A COMMON ORC!! is there any lower form of death??”
—Dave Bozwell Bundle of Trouble #2, Can’t Buy Me Luck

one FIRE FIGHT later...
you mean PETE’s “upped” his game.
DAMMIT, NEWT — what did \ SAY about going STRAIGHT — he’s getting his footing back.
there and BACK...?!! you RISKED the entire OPERATION!
thank gawd it was only
you were GEEZUS — the GOONIES have SMALL ARMS fire —
it’s not MY fault!
RIGHT about it really UPPED thier game. scavenged hunting rifles and
being SKETCHY. such from the looks of it.
we had PLENTY of barricading the STREETS with
time to reach those parked cars. and now some
\ didn’t think
SURVIVORS at the of ‘em are using FIREARMS...? they’re ADAPTING — they even
we’d get out
I-70 OVERPASS. MIMICKED our tactics and
of it ALIVE. shya’right... are usin’ MOLOTOV’S now.
we were AMBUSHED.
that’s it.
POP some and THIS, gentlemen — is why we need to BOLSTER our ranks.
sweat — \’m
about to we have extra WEAPONS and FIREPOWER at our disposal
TURN UP — we just don’t have enough HANDS to put them to use.
the heat.
picked up 23 at the YMCA. okay so give me a
BREAK DOWN on
until now — we’ve these guys —
another EIGHT
got a BUS FULL of what’d ya bring me...?
stragglers on
fresh RECRUITS.
our WAY back.
okay — so of -sigh- so THAT’s pete’s game,

and one S.O.B hog tied with ZIP TIES —
the THIRTY-TWO is it? — all that SURVIVOR
he needs to be kept in CONFINEMENT. chatter on the emergency bands...
we bussed back...
17 men and women
are FIGHTING CAPABLE. crazy bastard. he spit a CHAW of tobacco in he’s tryin’ to BURDEN US —
my eye and BUTT-STROKED me with my OWN rifle. weigh us down with LIABILITIES.
then we have 1 seventeen who these damn BRATS are
pregnancy, 7 children can fight...? RESPONSIBILITY ANCHORS —
and 5 ELDERLY \ he DID warn you about
“GROPING” his old lady. and now we’re
wouldn’t wanna say — that’s CHAINED to ‘em at the hip.
put in HARM’S WAY. not BAD
GROPING...? \ was PATTING actually. sure. but
her down for I.E.D.S — we nothing we can s’pose
don’t know that she but damn. do about it now. not.
wasn’t COLLABORATING
with those GOONIES. children...?
*Goonies: aka “Other Worlders” — nickname the group has given to the hostiles who have poured through the planar portal behind Wally World.

okay, ladies — here’s what we’re newt - what do we have in the KITTY as far as EXTRA fire power...?
gonna do — the CHILDREN and
the OTHER NON-COMBATANTS...?
nine SAWS, four .45 automatics and
eleven m16’s — four with grenade launchers.
they go in
the RENTAL good — hand ‘em out among the ABLE BODIED.
EQUIPMENT CAGE. one magazine of AMMO per man or woman until
oh — and we can make another RUN out to the ARMORY.
where we can the spare 50
SAFEGUARD ‘em. that seized after \ suggest SAWS skills...?
a BAKE OFF — we could use
some sentries go to THOSE hmmm. good
on the ROOF! with weapon skills. point, eddie.
\ want FOUR it’s TRASHED.
armed guards
on ‘em at ALL
TIMES — in
case there’s
another breach.
you HEARING me...?!!!

pete — \’m INTERVIEWING the gawdammit — now let me
SURVIVORS and taking an ASSET just STOP you right there. \ ain’t got REAMS of NPCS
INVENTORY as far as SKILLS and sittin’ around all FLESHED OUT
areas of EXPERTISE & KNOWLEDGE. and ready to DROP AND PLAY.
fun’s fun — but you
MORONS are goin’ WELL so this STAR SEARCH or JOB FAIR
\ don’t care if it’s beyond the SCOPE of thing or whatever it is yer tryin’
COOKING, FIRST anything \ was PREPARED to RUN HERE...? — forget about it.
AID, KNITTING... to take on tonight.
\ don’t have the BANDWIDTH
if someone has to determine SKILLS and
something to BACK STORIES on the fly .
CONTRIBUTE \ need
to KNOW about it. sheep — that’s what you
got. UNREMARKABLE SHEEP
with no REAL SKILLS
worth mentioning. now — o’ really...?
can we MOVE ALONG...?
well that’s interesting. this game — it’s a CRIME NATION

DERIVATIVE yer running - right?
you had NO PROBLEM throwing
“reams of npcs” at us when you
thought they’d be a HINDRANCE. yeah...? so what?
so what’s the deal, pete? well PROBLEM SOLVED — you’ve got a couple
of the C- NATION NPC PACKS out on the rack.
just a case of you stacking
the DECK against us...? including VOLUME IV: THE THRONGING CROWD.
150 fully fleshed out NPC character sheets —

whadda ya want me to tell random general population types — ready to run.
ya...? they ain’t FLESHED out. hold on, pete.
z
\ dunno — that guy \’ve got npc eddie yer
just assume hey - that’s
they have no
who JACKIE CHAN’D my an idea. packs...? a genius
ass seemed skilled. AWESOME!
useful skills.
^ “tough talk from a man wearing panty hose and a CAPTAIN DORK mask!!”
—Sara Felton, Bundle of Trouble #7, A Time for Heroes

crutch uses those
oh no — NOPE!! -sigh- okay – FINE.
in his C-NATION campaign.
they’re a MIXED bag of \ ain’t BREAKING the tell ya what...
nuts as far as NPCS go. SHRINK WRAP just
to ENTERTAIN you KIDS. |’LL BUY THE DAMN THING.
everything from the quiet, unassuming
neighbor next door, to the guy who
runs a SMALL ENGINE REPAIR shop, to that’s product
\ NEED to sell. then LOAN it
the retired cop with fallen arches...
to ya pete.
easy peazy - forget it. how ‘bout
we can just draw like you said.
RANDOMLY for each that?
SURVIVOR we brought back. PROBLEM
SOLVED. here’s my
CREDIT CARD.
later as the INTERVIEW PROCESS unfolds...
general population okay — so that was MACKLEY. that’s THIRTEEN SURVIVORS. 18 to go.
types ya say...?
go ahead and DRAW another SHEET. QUICKLY - we need to get THROUGH this.
sure - \’ll
take your MONEY. hey, MACKLEY has STEEL good idea. we’ll pair
FABRICATION and him up with ANDERSON.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING...?
he has WHEELMAN 74% — he
might have some INPUT on
let’s put ‘im on a MIG
improving the overall design.
WELDER with a JENNY.
— we could use
another RENTAL TRUCK with done!
a PROTECTIVE cab cage.
one draw later... pete RULED we couldn’t

hey — did you CATCH that...?
even make an ATTEMPT to
lesse — CATERPILLAR TRACKED VEHICLES, shee. 51%...!! operate the AFVS coz we
OPERATOR for the had no RELEVANT skills....
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT...
yeah. \ heard ya. not seeing any but THIS guy....
has skills in TRACKED DOZERS around — but useful
VEHICLES, backhoe, information. make a note of it.
earth moving/excavation...
but the BRADLEY FIGHTING
VEHICLES — they’re TRACKED. let me
see that.
he’s right.
^ “it’s nice doing BUSINESS with you and all THAT, but let’s not
start exchanging CHRISTMAS CARDS with one another -- alright?”
—Newt Forager, Bundles of Trouble #22, Signed and Sealed

says here the SUNUVABITCH is a VET. served
yeah — let’s get this guy on the
TWO TOURS in AFGHANISTAN — and one in IRAQ!!
NEXT run out to the ARMORY.
maybe he’ll at you gotta be kidding me. get this...

LEAST pull
an ATTEMPT KETCHAM served as GUNNER - on the M1A2 ABRAMS TANK!
to run
the damn...
so maybe HE eddie -
\’m gonna grab that’s awesome!
operates that
that guy a SODA a REAL hero in
wait a BRADLEY. HELLO!!!
from the COOLER our MIDST.
minute... in the SELF
SERVICE lane!
sure — but FAT GOOD it does us. okay, boys — change

there are two ABRAMS of PLANS tonight.
sitting out there at the KETCHAM here was a GUNNER —
NATIONAL GUARD unit. not a DRIVER. the ABRAMS is a pretty the TWITCHING HOUR
sophisticated piece of equipment. EXPRESS to pick up more
remember...? SURVIVORS is scratched.
pete wouldn’t so...? TANK CREWS \ did not know

let us ROLL cross train — they that — lloyd. we go back
HAVE to — in case to the armory
to even see
someone is injured for um,
if we could
or incapacitated. and \’m some SUPPLY
START one.
bettin’ PETE REQUISITION.
didn’t either.
snicker.
we’ll fetch one of the ABRAMS, see about the BRADLEYS too. then grab the
rest of those MRES, NIGHT VISION GOGGLES and any thing else we forgot.
\ can’t believe it.
GLORIOUS — who would’ve don’t you just

HOODY HOO¡¡¡ thunk — the LOVE it when
\’m so glad \ RIGHT NPC at the
called in SICK!! a plan comes
WE’RE GETTING RIGHT MOMENT. together?
A TANK, BABY¡¡
^ “if you’d listened to ME we’d be up to our EYEBROWS in KOBOLD

goo by now and rakin’ in the E.P.S like TWO-CENT CANDY!”
—Bob Herzog, Bundles of Trouble #17, New Approaches

Dawg Pile by jolly r. blackburn
meanwhile... oh no, MR. \ wouldn’t be SURPRISED if it all ends with a TPK.

FORZEY — \’m
DESIGNATED they’re CATCHING
c’mon, SHECK- DRIVER - soon as HELL in there, \ tell ya,.
BERRY, finish they FINISH UP in surely not —
that one up and there we have that’d really
\’ll BUY you to HIT the road be a SHAME. sara was suckin’ fumes
another round., for MUNCIE. on HIT POINTS when \ left.
speaking of
which — \ wonder
how it’s GOING
in there..?
and GARY was gettin’ herzog’s right — it’s looking GRIM.

the CRAP kicked out of
‘im by the SMOKING MAN.
VANHOOSE’s yorkie was in the BEST of health of the THREE remaining in there.
but with that INJURED HIP...? he’s a GONER when the SMOKING MAN mops up.
\ really don’t see
how he can HOLD on.
\ don’t expect \ suppose it doesn’t
he’ll take an matter. it all comes of COURSE it matters. exactly. and
INJURED DOG down to FINAL dammit — we wanted bring the
to see the PACK freed. SMOKING-
back to the pen. POINTS anyway. MAN down!
\ suppose we should’ve cooperated hey — let’s not write off GARY, just yet.
more — ACROSS teams, \ mean. thanks, mr. zeke.
if he still has a HIT-POINT to his name
as did YOU, guys. — \ wouldn’t put ANYTHING past him.
heh - where’s
well - regardless
the FUN in that? \ have no idea how
on how it PANS out.
we scored. but may
we ALL came to you guys played the BEST TEAM win. \ sure it’s STILL
\’ll drink
a helluva game. wouldn’t
win and come to THAT. anyone’s
wanna take
out on top. THAT bet. game.
^ “coward? you know, calling me names was one of the reasons

\ VETOED the MILITARY AID PACKAGE congress had ear-marked for you.”
—B.A. Felton Bundle of Trouble #3, “The Guns of August”

back at the table.
by MY MATH, that puts you in the RED.
the SMOKING MAN swings at you
usin’ the CATTLE PROD like a club. your MOVEMENT RATE is reduced to 25%. —
and you get an additional -3 on your TO-HITS.
MS. FELTON — you are struck
for four points of damage —
the BLOW sends you ROLLING CRAP — that puts my
and DISLODGES the BITE you also gonna need ya to OVERALL TO-HIT at -6
had on his HAM MUSCLE. make a STAMINA CHECK — since, \’m BLOOD-FRENZIED.
to see if you COLLAPSE
from BATTLE FATIGUE.
with his OTHER arm
he STABS at the but being in a
ROTTWEILER — the FRENZY also
blade STRIKES but is makes me IMMUNE
DEFLECTED by a RIB. to BATTLE FATIGUE.
only yeilding
TWO POINTS.
several rounds later...

\ SHRUG OFF his
KNIFE ATTACK and
go RIGHT BACK IN...
mr. vanhoose your TERRIER is thrown TEN FEET by the
SMOKING MAN’s kick — you tumble and roll for FOUR POINTS.
\ go for an
ARM GRAB
on the arm ms. felton, the SHOCK from the CATTLE PROD shoot — \ spend two
WIELDING the knife. breaks the BITE-LOCK you had on his GROIN. COUNTS recovering
then \’m makin’ a
LUNGE ATTACK!
attacking
you DROP FREE. he ALSO
AGAIN here —
managed to SHOCK himself \ YELP in pain!
in his PANIC and drops both goin’ for the
three counts
the PROD and his knife. BLOODIED LEG!!
before \ can
-s ATTACK again.
h
-s ook
ho
ok a-
a- -sho -shooka-
o
-sho ka- -shooka-
oka-
several rounds later STILL...

he’s FLEEING...? \ RUN after him
and attempt to LEAP on his back!
you take the HEEL of his BOOT
right to the FACE, mr. jackson.
no good — he REVS the engine and is OFF.

TWO POINTS of damage and
your ATTACK is ruined.
shoot — he’s ESCAPING.

holding one hand to the
the SMOKING MAN
GUSHING WOUND on his
is BACK on his
NECK, he makes a WIDE minus the JOWL
SCOOTER and \’m BARKING
CIRCLE through the full of his FLESH
has it STARTED.. furiously at him.
meadow and HEADS \ have anyway.
up slope and for home.
^ “cobwebs and dirt? \’m NOT going in there. \’ll ruin my new dress.”
—Croix, KODT Issue #128, The Goblin Tower

hey — he left the FIELD OF BATTLE... \’ve got three broken ribs,
well — he dealt and a WRENCHED PAW.
that means we DID IT — we BESTED him. out some MAJOR
DAMAGE himself.
what about you, sir...?

\ suppose we did. oh he’s not coming
back anytime soon... \’m not even
sure, \’m going you took the WORST of it.
good TEAMWORK.
not with the HURT to SURVIVE
we LAID on him. my wounds.
that PACK is safe. \’m still standin’.
heh - did you but yeah — \’m hurtin’

at least see the LOOK
for now. on his face?
down to TWO \ have LICK WOUNDS at 72% —

HIT points. \ can at LEAST stop the bleeding.
I ATTACK GARY’S
ROTTWEILER¡¡
and BLEEDIN’ like but you’re in no shape to move.
a SIEVE — gonna
BLEED OUT here he can’t
in a few, \ suspect. we can REST in place here in the DEFEND so
MEADOW overnight — try and \ get +4
cross the CREEK in the morning. to my ROLL.
you two should MOVE

the others across safely damn - you
tonight- just in case. really ARE
in bad shape.
come back
for me.
B-BRIAN...?!!
z
what...? hello —
what the HELL
are you doing...? the man only
as TWO HITPOINTS.
HOW
COULD
YOU...? how could
\ NOT...?!!
^ “at times like this \ wish HACKMASTER had a SPELL that could SEAR away BAD MEMORIES.”
—Brian Van Hoose KODT Issue #92, …And an Old Friend as Well

It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over by jolly r. blackburn
meanwhile...
the CONVOY continues up the street and as
it DOES so it is ASSAULTED from all sides.
the BRADLEY’s
engine GROANS as it
FORCES its way THROUGH you’ve ARRIVED at the BALL,
the barricade of WRECKED ladies — and EVERYONE wants
CARS, STEEL GIRDERS to PUNCH yer DANCE CARD!
and GUARD RAILS.
several KOBOLDS run out
the PING -PELT-PONG of from between two PARKED
CROSSBOW BOLTS ricochet CARS and hurl MOLOTOVS at
off the AFV’S hull as it passes the TURRET of the BRADLEY -
through a GAUNTLET of fortunately it’s BUTTONED UP.
ORCS intent on halting the nearby, a GNOLL
vehicle’s progress. fumbles with a LAW
ROCKET as he takes a
KNEE and drops into
FIRING POSITION.
PENCHANT’s on the
25mm CHAIN GUN,
pete — he’s layin’
it down HEAVY — and he -crap- — he totally BOTCHES the job.
THREE-SIXTY!
being UNTRAINED with the weapon he ends
NEWT — launch up FIRING the device ASS BACKWARDS
some SMOKE
GRENADES - takes out TWO comrades BEHIND him along
we need some with the FRONTAGE of a STARBUCKS.
CONCEALMENT!
the resulting fireworks are SPECTACULAR.
dammit, EDDIE —
we need the ABRAMS
on point — tell
LAW ROCKET...?!! loadin’ up a HIGH
KETCHAM to
where the HELL did EXPLOSIVE round!
get it in GEAR!!
they get a LAW ROCKET?
ROGER THAT,
LADY RED¡¡
CANNISTERS
AWAY!!
we’re coming - we’re
COMING - he FAILED
a DRIVING CHECK but
we’re GOOD now.
gentlemen — looks like we’ve found the RAT’S NEST. once the men with
FLAME THROWERS
the sinclair brothers were right — the GOONIES have debarked from
are usin’ the STADIUM as a RALLYING POINT. the AFVS — start
SLUGGIN’ those
STADIUM walls
newt, lloyd — get those BRADLEY’s with SABOT ROUNDS.
in position and DEPLOY your SQUADS.
eddie — \ want that MAIN GUN

on the ABRAMS to continue they’re not likely
we’re laying down THE ROUNDS to score much in
roger that the way of KILLS —
on it. to provide ‘em COVER.
LADY RED! but it’ll make every
SUNUVABITCH
right. within take COVER.
^ “now what we need to do is to put our heads together and

compile the ULTIMATE LIST OF EXCUSES!! good reliable excuses!! ones that
can’t be verified and won’t come back to haunt us like ‘DAVE’S FUNERAL.’”
—Brian Van Hoose Bundle of Trouble #5, The Tangled Web

many rounds later as til FINALLY one LAST handful of
the battle unfolds. KOBOLD-FURY reaches the BRADLEY.
the 120mm chain gun MOWS through they begin wedging ROCKS, chunks of CONCRETE and
the advancing swarm of KOBOLDS like even uprooted PARKING METERS into the BOGEY
a THRASHER going through WHEAT. WHEELS in an ATTEMPT to THROW the vehicle’s TRACKS.
GAAA¡ LAUNCHING bringing my COAXIAL

but for every CUR MMGS to bear —
that DROPS it seems GRENADE CANNISTERS¡¡
sweeping newt’s AFV!
there’s ANOTHER
to TAKE his place. oh NICE move, FORREST GUMP.
that should CLEAR some rubbling the make it
kobolds but your OWN men TICKET KIOSK with
RAIN
as the BODIES are within RANGE as well! the ABRAMS here!
FIRE!!
pile up what’s
left of the
SWARM advances. a- -sh
ook - -sh ooka
-sh ooka ook -
-sh a-
a wee bit later still...

hey — where ya going...?
okay, little dicky’s SQUAD is \ wanna make a SWAG LIST of captured

sweepin’ the LOCKER ROOMS weapons, armor and any MAGIC ITEMS...
with FLAME THROWERS,
GRENADES and small arms.
did any of those KOBOLDS
have HEALING SALVE on ‘em?
soon as he’s
FINISHED he’s
to PULL his men keep yer PANTS on — wow. that was like
out and LOAD a TURKEY SHOOT.
UP on the bus. \ need to GRAB
another SIX PACK we really
from the FRIDGE. KICKED ASS!
we’ll then
FORM UP and
head back to
HOME DEPOT.
FOUR BEERS LATER...

by 7:30 a.m. they’re on the BLOWER to command.
as the SUN begins to CLIMB in the sky and a JEFFERSON the baker tossed a FLAK VEST
NEW DAWN greets the day — an ODD SILENCE and shoe horned into the role of
settles over the town of WILLOW FORKS. CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD radios down...
the ROOF TOP sentries are the FIRST to notice it.
they’re SO ALARMED by the deafening silence “ma’am, er, sir...”

they go into a heightened state of ALERTNESS.
“THEY’RE GONE!!”
z
uht oh. not
z g
they begin to “THEY’RE ALL GONE.”
liking this.
SCAN the area
OUTSIDE the
PERIMETER. huh...?
^ “well HOODY FREAKIN’ HOO and a BIG LA DE DA! this is what you
came up with for an adventure?? what next, ORCS ON ICE?? ”
—Bob Herzog Bundle of Trouble #6, When Peace Comes to Shove

exactly what he said — looking out over the grounds around the HOME
DEPOT the streets and lots are all DESERTED. not a GOONIE in sight.
w-whadda ya MEAN, the bugbear firing positions on the BERM — empty.

“they’re gone”..? not likin’ this.
the SAP WORKS along the RETAINING FENCE — ABANDONED. not likin’ this
at ALL, guys.
well this
even the two GNOLLS on
can’t be good... what the hell is
the SPOTTING PLATFORM on
the UTILITY TOWER are gone. can it...? pete up to now?
SHUT
UP!
\ SOUND the alarm, pete! LATER...
\ want everyone SUITED UP,

RUMBLING down the streets you see SIGNS of what must have been
ARMED and at the ready.
one large MASS EXODUS. strewn all about the street and curb sides
are SCAT PILES, DISCARDED bits of armor, weapons cast aside...
the SURVIVOR
ROUND UPS
like a BREAD CRUMB TRAIL you follow along
are SCRUBBED
until FINALLY — up ahead you see them.
for the day.
where the HECK
are they going?
hundreds and
LLOYD — take hundreds of the what the
one of the GOONIES — makin’ hell.
BRADLEYS and a their way BACK
SQUAD out and to the portal.
do a RECONNOITER.
some are organized
and marching RANK
we need INTEL
AND FILE. others
on this — ASAP!
are simply
SCRAMBLING.
BACK TO THE PORTAL!!! in large groups the GOONIES fling themselves INTO the portal.
one after the other into the WANING MAW and PFFFT - are gone.
like MOTHS to a flame
they seem DRAWN to it
whoah, whoah — are you saying they’re RETREATING...?
the PORTAL appears to be
PULSATING erratically —
occasionally BLINKING, disappear- RETREATING...? \ didn’t say that — now DID, \...?
ing and then REAPPEARING again!
they are simply RETURNING to their OWN it’s gotta
PLANE — of their own accord. that’s all. be a trick. it
MUST be.
just like \ don’t
that..? they’re believe it.
LEAVING..?
^ “\ say we make all NICE with him and stuff.

then HIT him over the BACK of the head
with a BATTLE AXE when he isn’t looking.”
—Dave Bozwell, KODT Issue #138, The Backroom Deal

hey — HEY!!! hey you didn’t win #@@!!!— YOU HEAR...?!!
HOODY HOO¡¡¡
for your information the PORTAL is beginning to FLICKER and WANE.
WE WON¡¡ WE WON¡¡¡
the EXPEDITIONARY FORCES of the OTHERWORLDERS are
WE BEAT THE ADVENTURE!! simply withdrawing to their OWN plane — until the STARS
ALIGN again and they can RETURN ‚— armed with what
they’ve LEARNED on this FIRST FORAY so they can finish what they...
yeah. we DEFENDED jeepers. newt’s

oh c’mon, pete. we WON!!! our community. RIGHT — we
wasn’t that ARE still alive.
we’re still STANDING. the objective..?
what are you

seriously...? that’s it..? no - it’s NOT over, pete. not by a LONG SHOT.
GROUSING
about...? huh...?
we just spent NINE HOURS building up for the
they TUCK TAIL and MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES — and you DENY us...?
just run for their you made a
HOME WORLD when the GOOD SHOWING.
HEAT gets turned up...? uht uh — \ don’t think so. we’re going in.
you got nothin’ to
be ASHAMED of.
w-what ya mean we’re going
we’re you’re going “IN”...?
and you what...? AFTER them!
expect us
to TAKE it?
ARE YOU
you heard me right.
NUTS...¿¡¡¡ -sputter-
this is a ONE OFF!! it’d take
um... “GOING IN”...? WE’RE GOING IN!!!
an ENTIRE CAMPAIGN to
do what yer askin’.
we’re forming a CONVOY
of MEN, ARMOR, GUTS
\’m not following. and STEEL and takin’
the fight to THIER WORD!! yeah — \ guess it
would. okay — we
can find a FREE
NIGHT each week
surely seriously...? to continue.
you’re not oh yeah.
suggesting...
oh for the
love of...
^ “\ didn’t give up my cover ‘coz \ was KNOCKED OUT COLD from

that FLAILING-TIRE IRON attack KRUNCH ANDERSON laid on me.”
—Bob Herzog, KODT Issue #92, Robots of Mass Destruction

Playing It Forward by jolly r. blackburn
meanwhile — on the ROAD HOME to MUNCIE... yeah — ALL TEN LOUSY POINTS
the MAGIC ITEMS they beat us by — TEN!!
we CAPTURED
ahh, c’mon guys. we got
from GARY .*
CHEER UP — you OUTPLAYED —
made an EXCELLENT simple as that..
showing of
pffft — GONE!!
yourselves.
just like that.
you’ve got right through
NOTHING to be our fingers.
ASHAMED of.
yeah but
when \ THINK guys against
about it — it the FOUR
you don’t it’s about
makes me SICK HACKSMITHS!
GET it, GORDO. what was
it ain’t about LOST!! to my STOMACH.
LOSING...
you gave ‘em a real

we’ve got an entire TRAILER
RUN for the money —
crammed with SWAG from
oh man, \ would’ve given \’ll say we did.
the SHOPPING SPREE.
my GOLD PLATED d-twenny
for a SEAT in that game. man \ can’t WAIT
til we get back and
heh. we DID make DIVVY the stuff up.
the SPOILS of
out like BANDITS.
an INCREDIBLE
WEEKEND.
didn’t we...?
and it’s not

like you’re
going HOME
empty HANDED.
\’m puttin’ MY share in TWO STACKS. heh — all \ know is

KEEPERS — and stuff goin’ on EBAY. there’s a COMPLETE SET
we CLEANED up
of the CRIME NATION: HELL,
alright — for sure.
we’re gonna make STURGIS AND HIGH WATER
so much COOL STUFF.
some SERIOUS bank. series back there —
but damn —those
\t’ll be MONTHS MAGIC ITEMS...
frickin’ a. \’ll be before \ need
to shop at the all SIX BOOKS — and baby — -sigh-
ROLLING in dough.
GAMES PIT again. they’ve got my NAME on ‘em.
eh — you’ll take a
BEATING on EBAY.
auctions just don’t
pull in the BIG MONEY
like they USED to.
* During the epic battle of Pwn Brian Express, the Knights ended up capturing Gary Jackson’s prized collection of magic items.
Unfortunately they didn’t manage to obtain the command words — rendering the items useless. The Honor Match between
the Knights and the HackSmith’s is to decide who gets possession of both.

what \ could’ve
done with THIMBY’S so EBAY’s a bad idea ya say, big guy?
PORTAL SPELL RESEARCH \’m keepin’ some CHOICE
LAB in a POUCH. ITEMS — but the REST?
so how are you LIQUIDATING
the stuff YOU’RE not keeping?
or HORTON’S RING of \’m gonna give it to PETE
STUPENDOUS VOLLEYS OF to sell in his shop.
any THOUGHTS yeah. \’ve given
FIREBALL RETALIATION. it some thought.
on that...? split the PROFITS with him.
right
down the
middle.
makes me SICK,
NEEDHAM’S \ tell ya. we
BLADE POLISHING
would’ve
COMPOUND of+2
SHARPENING DOMINATED!
would’ve been
sweet.
w-wait — sure. \’ve been THINKING on it — let’s face it —he’s been havin’ a BAD TIME
yer WHAT..? and it’s been BOTHERING me some. of it at the shop — makin’ ENDS MEET —
pete took a BEATING on those a little WINDFALL of some

HACKER SNACKS — acting on FREE PRODUCT would be a HUGE help.
dude — yer
cutting PETE in? the BAD INTEL \ fed ‘im and all.
besides — \ wasn’t even on the
TICKET for the SPREE. \ got lucky.
for a SHARE? \ can’t help but
feel RESPONSIBLE. just paying it forward — that’s all.
wow!
that’s
WONDERFUL, just feels
brian — \’m like the
TOUCHED. such a right thing
NICE THING to do.
to do.
the “RIGHT THING”...? dude — \ don’t know who \ just HOPE

the HELL that is back there... we can DIVVY
is that what
you just said...? it up before
but \ think a the GAME
DOPPELGANGER has this week.
pete HAS been SLIPPED into the PARTY.
STRUGGLING to \ got my EYE
pay the RENT lately. was just thinkin’
on those
the SAME thing. yeah...? do ya
KIP-WELLER
ROLLERS. THINK there
will be a GAME
\’d like this week...?
some time to
BREAK ‘em in
and BATTLE
TEST ‘em.
why the hell

WOULDN’T
there be...?
^ “are you for REAL? you actually think anyone would be STUPID
enough to PAY to be BITTEN by a WEREWOLF??!!
—Sara Felton, Bundle of Trouble #5, ‘A Pound of Cure’

bob’s entirely right
just not sure B.A. has — and WHO says
anything PREPARED is all. the old campaign
the GAME GOES ON!
is TRASHED..?!
the OLD CAMPAIGN was REGARDLESS. it’s just
TRASHED by the BIG WAR. DRIPPING with
b.a. knows that. OPPORTUNITIES
to exploit.
and then we
put in ALL that
training for the so...?!!
HONOR MATCH.
dude — you oh man — that

forgettin’...? INTER-PLANAR
GARWEEZE PILE ON was epic.
WURLD is LYING
in RUINS! \ didn’t LAST
LONG but at
least \ got
in on it. *
like \ SAID, dave... yeah — well, \ just wanna FILL my hand hey — speakin’ of the GAME.
with some DICE — and LOTS of ‘em.
“DRIPPING WITH \ know there were a LOT of
OPPORTUNITIES” \ wouldn’t mind HARD FEELINGS over the GREAT
say — now
playin’ some BLOOD BATH AT THE GAMES PIT —
there’s a
there’s a POWER SPACE HACK thought.
VACUUM — and for awhile. we need to LEAVE that in the past.
the QUICK and the
BOLD can fill it. water under
we got the frickin’
NEW EDITION the bridge, bob.
A, dude.
back there.
\’m SERIOUS man — no CHARACTER GRUDGES, eh — \’m on a

PAYBACK or LEGACY REVENGE nonsense. QUARTER TANK.
probably be a
GOOD IDEA to
TANK UP soon.
we’re a TEAM —
like before. we good...? hey — \’m STARVIN’.
how CLOSE are we to
havin’ to GAS UP..?
hear, hear. dude - we’re good.
the like you said —

UNTOUCHABLE it’s ALL in the past.
\’ll send PATTY
trio, baby. a TEXT and
let ’er KNOW
to STOP ahead.
* The Bloodbath at the Games Pit had all of the Muncie gaming community gathering at Pete’s as an epic battle unfolded
between Bob, Dave and their recruited army of players, vs. Sara and Brian with their evil sword and eventually, the Four
Hacksmiths.

Special Request by jolly r. blackburn
meanwhile up ahead in PATTY’S CAR...

\ have to WORK -sigh- tell
in the morning. me about it. \
have to OPEN the
BOOKSHOP by
8 a.m. to RESTOCK.
that was DAVE —
the BOYS wanna
stop to EAT.
-si
although, \’d -si p-
p-
PREFER to push
through...
back to the
sure. we
GRIND for all
can hit BOO
of us, \ suppose.
RADLEY’S at
the STATE LINE.
well — looks like you it means ALL those powerful oh....? this is news.
DODGED the bullet, b.a. magic items and relics won’t
be porting back to your table. WORRIED were you?
whadda ya
the group, at least you don’t have
mean...? SERIOUSLY,
LOSIN’ the match. THAT hanging over your head.
sara? you
no... \ suppose have to ask?
\ don’t.
do you have
ANY IDEA what
BRIAN would’ve done
had he gotten his so — any THOUGHTS on the game...?
HANDS on those \ really haven’t
COMMAND words? given it MUCH
what’s NEXT...? thought with
everything that’s
“DODGING THE that’s a been going on.
BULLET” is an \’m not sure very good
understatement. to be honest. question.
-si
no argument -si p-
p-
there — but
GOSH \ hate
to LOSE.
^ “well, there are four high ogre corpses. a couple ‘a grel fighters with a pixie fairie. then there’s
yer GETTING-TOO-DAMNED-CLOSE-TO-MY-GM-SHIELD-SOON-TO-BE-DEAD-SORRY-ASS-HALFLING!”
—Nitro Fergueson KODT Issue #74, Fatigue Factor

oh —
right.
you KNOW, sara —

speaking of the game —
pardon...?
this is as GOOD a time
as ANY to BROACH the you know
subject of, um — YOU — what we
TALKED about go ahead.
KNOW WHAT...
— SILLY. ASK HIM!
\ dunno — \ think nonsense —

maybe it can wait... he’s RIGHT here.
z go for it!
something on your MIND, sara...? \ don’t understand... but it’s not YOU, \’m worried
about — as much as the GUYS.
why the reluctance?
it’s nothing, they might not like it.
b.a. forget it’s not you KNOW you can
about it. “NOTHING”. talk to me about
ANYTHING, sara.
b.a. — your cousin has
something she’s been
wanting to ask you.
you’re right
of course.
okay — so here’s the thing. a few weeks ago, \

is that all...? hrrrmph — well don’t
went to RENEW my GM CRENDENTIALS with the HMA.
you worry about THAT, sara.
only \ was told \ have a DEFICIT on

\ got your back. thanks, GM HOURS logged behind the SCREEN.
‘kay? now why b.a..
don’t you tell see..? what’d normally, \ LOG enough hours between HACK
me what it is...? \ tell ya? CAMP and the occasional LADIES OF HACK game.
but \ was so
BUSY last year....
well that
sucks.
^ “hey guys, \ hear weird pete is holding a contest this saturday. first person to out
arm wrestle weird pete’s monkey, SQUIRRELY wins a complete set of 1ST EDITION HACKMASTER
BOOKS signed by gary jackson himself!!” —B.A. Felton, Bundle of Trouble #4, Blood Bath at the Games Pit

heh — is THAT all....?
that MAYBE you
wouldn’t mind if...
wait a minute — are not a PROBLEM.
you trying to ASK if \ SLIPPED behind
it’d be okay to GM the screen...? sara. you GOT it.
for the GROUP...?
really...?
oh you’re right
— the GUYS will
throw a FIT...
well...
yeah.
\ figured
since there’s
a BREAK in
CAMPAIGNS...
besides — you runnin’ a ONE-OFF

but you let ME will actually be doing me a FAVOR...
deal with them.
it’ll give me some go ahead, sara.
like \ said — \ TIME — to PREPARE a one-off..?
got your back. er..., there’s TELL HIM...
for my CAMPAIGN and
a bit more
go over my notes.
to it than
that, b.a...
\’d actually like to run a

CAMPAIGN for you and the guys, b.a.
a campaign...? oh...., no.

of COURSE he
if you don’t \ don’t mind.
doesn’t mind. the BOYS
MIND that is. certainly will
do you, b.a...? though.
-gulp-
2B CONTINUED
^ “\ hit myself in the head with an axe again!!! how much damage did \ do this time??”
—Dave Bozwell, Bundle of Trouble #4, The Overbearing Situation

The Kalenal numbers between 200-300
light infantry of any race except Dwarven,
THE KALENAL LOTAK, because one of the cohort’s major tasks is the
KALAMARAN FRONTIER COHORT elimination of Dwarven resistance in the
Kakidelas spur. While the majority of Kalenal
I
soldiers will be of Kalamaran descent, other
mperial borders are fluid things, varying human races including the Dejy and Fhokki
widely from the tidy map lines lovingly can be found in its ranks, as well as the
traced by royal cartographers. At one occasional hobgoblin.
location in the Kalamaran Empire wherein a
border territory is in perpetual dispute, the Nominally attached to the Imperial 2nd
Kalamaran Emperor Kabori has devised a plan Legion based 200 miles to the south in the
both better to secure the contested zone and fortress of Kel Katagas, the Kalenal,
to drain dissident elements from his Imperial colloquially referenced as the Irregulars and
Legions and cities. disparagingly referred to as the Disgraced
Ones by Kalamaran legionaries, are rarely
His Most August Supremacy decreed the called into action for set-piece battles. These
creation of a Frontier Cohort, a special military are skirmish troops, lightly armed and
unit with standing orders very different from armored and in consequence far more mobile
a typical Imperial garrison. than the average Imperial light infantry.
This unit, the Kalenal Lotak, or Slayers of the The Kalenal are always clad in distinctive
Frontier, is based in the town of Monidu in the blackened leather armor and strictly forbidden
Kakidela Mountains, a range marking the from carrying a shield to promote mobility in
border between the Kalamaran province of battle and on the march. The Irregulars equip
Dodera and the Wild Lands Queendom of themselves with short bow, sling or javelins
Tharggy. and carry the standard, wickedly sharp

Doderan long sword. The Kalenal are capable such as murder, perjury, piracy or treason, are
of patrolling the Kakidelas for weeks at a time, often given the option of service in the
living off the land or food seized from Kalenal in place of a date with the Imperial
Dwarven settlements or Tharggy caravans. Headsman's axe. Interestingly, Imperial
Carrying little in the way of supplies or equip- bureaucrats report roughly five percent of
ment and thoroughly trained to survive in the convicted murderers in Bet Kalamar opt for
harsh Kakidelas climate, the soldiers of the the lengthy, chained trudge to the Kakidelas
Frontier Cohort prize both their mobility and to take up service with the Kalenal. In other
ability to lay ambushes in a manner atypical words, only one in twenty convicted criminals
to that of standard Kalamaran legionaries. selects service with the Frontier Cohort ahead
Their unusual tactics result in the Kalenal of beheading, sobering statistical evidence of
being scorned by the rest of the Kalamaran the harsh nature of duty in the irregular
army. Imperial legions pride themselves on mountain unit.
bringing an enemy to battle, pinning them For new recruits, a reckoning typically
down with heavy infantry, and then sweeping occurs in the first week or two. The lazy
the field clear with a charge of heavy cavalry Imperial soldiers or jilted nobles who
from the flanks. contracted the murder of a rival or former
The deployment of Imperial soldiery as lover are swiftly killed, either by Dwarves,
mere guerrilla troops runs counter to Tharggy woman warriors, or their own nominal
Kalamaran military tradition, and despite comrades, who see a knife in the back of
Emperor Kabori's reforms, there are few unsuitable irregulars as an intelligent alternative
Kalamaran institutions more wed to tradition to the risks engendered by their failure while
than its army. As a result, despite its successes on patrol. Only the strong survive and thrive
in mountain range warfare, the Irregulars find in the Kalenal.
themselves outcasts in their own Legion, with At the Imperial garrison in Monidu, a small
brawls, duels, and the odd murder not town closest to the disputed border with
unknown on the rare occasions the Frontier Tharggy, the Irregulars have two primary
Cohort is called into battle as part of the 2nd
Legion.
In addition to its scorned guerrilla tactics,
service in the Kalenal carries an additional
stigma. The Frontier Cohort’s ranks are
replenished by forced enlistment of miscreant
or incompetent Imperial legionaries.
Falling asleep while on overnight watch
along Kolokar's Barrier incurs an immediate
sentence of ten year's service in the Kalenal, a
feared and effective deterrent to neglect of
Imperial legionary duty. Soldiers at odds with
their commanders or fellow legionaries,
brawlers, gamblers, and murderers alike, are
also forcibly inducted into the Kalenal's ranks
as punishment.
The Kalenal Lotak also receives fresh recruits
from Kabori's Imperial courts. Individuals con-
victed of serious crimes under Kalamaran law,
duties. The first is the elimination of Dwarven
resistance to Kalamaran occupation of the
Kakidelas, as a prelude to the eventual
Imperial invasion of Tharggy. Groups of ten
Kalenal are sent on patrols of indeterminate
distance and duration, with a standing
bounty of five silver for Dwarven ears a clear
delineation of one objective of such missions.
The Irregulars have been known to go
underground in pursuit of such bounties, and
spelunking skills are on the rise in the Frontier
Cohort as the Disgraced Ones take the battle
to the Dwarves in their own tunnels and
caverns.
Official Kalamaran policy to destroy
Dwarven resistance includes an interdiction
campaign, with Dwarven settlements cut off
from trade with Tharggy caravans by Imperial
patrols. The plan is a simple one; starve the
Dwarves out while simultaneously opening limited to the most vicious and dangerous of
other markets for Tharggy traders, such as the Irregulars.
Imperial military commissaries. Then, once
Mercenaries serving as Kakidelas caravan
the Dwarves have been sent to meet their
guards or heroes assisting the Dwarven
collective Maker, invade the Queendom itself.
campaign to re-take their ancient citadel of
As might be expected, the Disgraced Ones Karasta will surely encounter the Kalenal, in
have developed their own interpretation of combat where quarter is neither expected nor
the Imperial interdiction campaign. Whereas given. Pillagers of mountainous fire giant
conventional Kalamaran patrols endeavor to halls might find themselves relieved of their
direct Tharggy caravans into trade with plunder by the Disgraced Ones, or even
Imperial outposts as an alternative to trade shanghaied into the unit's ranks.
with Dwarven settlements, the Kalenal attack
And characters convicted under Kalamaran
Tharggy caravans outright, setting cunning
law might be given the choice of service in
ambushes and wiping out to a man any
the Kalenal, although escape from the
traders and caravan guardswomen.
Irregular ranks remains a rare feat with death
Seized trade goods are then sold on a the ultimate penalty for going absent without
budding black market operating from the Imperial leave. The Kalenal Lotak constitute a
Frontier Cohort's commissary in Monidu. law within the law in the Kakidelas, and so
What happens when the 2nd Legion's long as their guerrilla campaign against
commander learns of the Irregulars irregular Dwarven strongholds produces continued
interdiction enforcement remains to be seen. success, the Irregulars will wreak havoc
Adventurers operating in the Ka'Asa against Dwarves, Tharggy patrols, and even
Mountains may well run across the Kalenal the occasional unfortunate, unwary
Lotak. Perhaps a visit to a Bet Dodera tavern Kalamaran citizen.
triggers conflict with Frontier Cohort troops By Bill Urban
on leave, a privilege granted only to soldiers
with at least five years service and thus q
GAMING THE
A
little over a dozen year ago,
MOVIES Knights of the Dinner Table

published my first freelance article,
“All I Really Need to Know I Learned from
Firefly”, in issue #100.
I took inspiration from one of my all-time
favorite TV series to see how you could use
it to learn lessons for gaming. After a few
more years and a few more articles, I started
this Gaming the Movies column in issue
#142 for that same purpose. I’ve examined
how to translate dozens of movies and TV
shows for your gaming enjoyment, either
as movie-inspired adventures or full
campaigns.
For this 50th edition of the column, it
seems right to come full circle. I started with
an article about a TV show about group of
people on a space ship in the far future. My
most recent discovery, Killjoys, is very
much of that same vein. The world-building
aspects of the show are something I don’t
think I’ve seen since Firefly went off the air.
In fact, Killjoys could easily be considered
an “Expansion Set” for a Firefly campaign.
GAMING If you’re ready to return to the future
where your ship is your lifeline and meal
THE MOVIES ticket and where aliens are still the stuff of
fiction, take the exam and join the RAC as
By James Davenport Killjoys.
TV SERIES SUMMARY – Killjoys
(As always, spoilers lie ahead. You’ve been warned.)
“If you want to fight I got your back.
If you want to run I call shotgun. But
you have to decide, Yelena.” – Johnny
In a region of populated space called the

Quad, you’ll find a large planet, two
inhabited moons, and one burned out
moon in part of the “J Star Cluster”.
The whole Quad is ruled by nine noble
families who are always scheming to get or
keep power. The Nine run the Quad
through the Company which owns almost
all industry and agriculture.

In the Quad there is an organization Dramatically, people who work on the
called the RAC (Reclamation Apprehension moon of Westerlin are poor working class
Coalition) who swear allegiance to no one who dream of moving to Leith, the more
but are still the repo-men and bounty middle class and greener moon. The
hunters for the Nine and the Company. Company has an iron grip on life in the
Warrants are issued and either assigned to Quad. Arkyn, the dead moon, was the
or claimed by the RAC members called Company’s first terraforming attempt.
Killjoys. (The term has multiple means as Westerlin still has toxic areas and people
money is referred to as “joy” and Level 5 who are illegal because they have no
Killjoys can take warrants to kill a target). Company job living in tunnels beneath
Our heroes: Yelena “Dutch”, Johnny Jaqobis, Oldtown. Qresh is the planet, home to only
and D’avin Jaqobis, are three such bounty the noble Nine (and numerous lesser
hunters roaming the Quad in their houses) but where land is disappearing
advanced spaceship, Lucy. under rising sea levels.
But life is not all capturing warrants and
avoiding civil unrest long enough to spend
your joy on aged “hok” at the Royale bar.
Something deeper is going on in the Quad
and the mysterious and mythical “Level 6”
agents have plans.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
“The warrant is all.” – RAC motto
I thought it would particularly interesting
to revisit some of the lessons from that very
first article on Firefly and see how well
Killjoys stands up. The lessons ran the
gamut from character design, adventure
design, game session management, and
campaign design. It really was a tutorial on
how to be a Gamemaster so it should make
a good test to see how well Killjoys could
be used as a model for your own game.
LESSON 1:
DON’T IGNORE THE ORIGIN STORY
Firefly began with some crew already on
the ship but with the arrival of three
newcomers so it was mixed in terms of
revealing the origin story right away. It
made up for it with copious flashbacks in a
later episode that filled in the pieces. The
same approach was used by Killjoys.
Dutch and Johnny are already a killjoy team
when Johnny’s brother, D’avin, enters the
picture. Several episodes involve deciding
what they will do with D’avin before he
finally officially joins the team.
For a gaming group, I think this is a fine doesn’t have nine characters on one ship, a
model in general. If you want to play a lot more of the drama can occur more
Killjoys campaign, some PCs can start with engaged with the world around them.
strong bonds while others are strangers to Non-player characters help round out the
start. It makes it much easier to form a scenes. A drug-addicted Qreshi doctor who
cohesive campaigning group that way. happens to be a black sheep daughter of
LESSON 2: one of the Nine houses has strings she can
GIVE THEM A REASON TO BE TOGETHER pull but they have a price. The flamboyant
Understanding why characters stay owner of the Royale has a past as a warlord
together and risk their lives for each other is but now serves primarily aged hok and the
an important piece of meta work the GM location of just the right contact. The local
needs to do. Fail to provide enough reasons religious leader who began as a miner is
and the campaign will be a struggle and also organizing a people’s revolution
fragment. In this regard Killjoys has a against the Company.
strong economic and career motive for the LESSON 4: GET STARTED WITH A BANG
killjoy team to stay together. This is on top
Adventures and campaigns can get off to
of the strong, family-like bonds they have
a running start if we begin with action.
or form, all excellent for an RPG campaign.
Action creates energy, allows the players to
Firefly gets there eventually but for many
feel their characters are capable, and stirs
episodes it would have made just as much
the dramatic pot right away. Killjoys
sense for one or more of them to leave the
episodes often start with our crew
crew.
executing a warrant which then goes
sideways in a number of ways. Being
bounty hunters, it is easy to have them in
chase scenes, fights, or gun fights when we
join the action leading them into the next
plot or just painting more of the picture of
life around them.
LESSON 5: GIVE THEM REFUGE
Our heroes need a home base, a place to
raise a glass to their victories and lick their
LESSON 3: CREATE A MIXTURE OF
CHARACTERS TO ENCOURAGE wounds when they fail. They need a place
ROLE-PLAYING of safety in which they can relax, heal up,
and plan their revenge.
While Firefly provides a much more
diverse crew, our three heroes are all Killjoys actually splits this refuge effect
killjoys but from different backgrounds. between their ship, Lucy, and the local
Dutch isn’t from the Quad and was raised killjoy bar in Oldtown, the Royale. The crew
to be an assassin. Johnny comes from a life retreats to both of them at different times
of crime where he switched from stealing for the purposes of refuge.
spaceships to hunting thieves after he met Lucy is a pretty sophisticated ship for a
Dutch. D’avin is all military but adrift after trio of killjoys which other people point
his career ended badly. out from time to time. She’s fast and has an
There is still enough mix of talents, back- AI helping control her systems. She has
grounds, and motivations to have good decent defenses but they are limited. The
role-playing opportunities. Since Killjoys Lucy voice is generally used as ‘ship’s

computer’ or light comedic
affect. It doesn’t really have
much personality and
while the ship is highly
valued, it doesn’t quite rise
to the level of love the
Firefly crew has for the
Serenity.
Lucy isn’t always on the
verge of breaking down
due to lack of funds.
The Royale is the place to
see and hear what is
happening on the streets.
It is also the home of you’re trying to serve, it is a given that they
Doctor Pawter Simms so she most often will not all stick together. For Killjoys this is
serves the healing role, be it physical or much less a need but the three of them do
psychological. At one point, D’avin gets a split up quite a bit. This is generally driven
room there and pays for it by being the by conflicting needs where they split up to
Royale bouncer. try to take care of everything (go after the
Pree is the well-connected former warlord warrant, meet with Qreshi noble who
who owns the bar. The Royale is also where summoned you, and placate Hills, the local
some meetings of killjoys are held. Company lawman).
LESSON 6: INVADE THEIR REFUGE In Killjoys, they have pretty effective
Once you have created a safe place that communication so even characters on
the player characters value highly, different moons can get in contact fairly
threatening it is a great way to engage their easily making it less of running separate
emotions and up the stakes. The ship is not parties but more of a disjointed team. It
invulnerable and was boarded by Mad Max- provides opportunities for the PC to come
type scavengers at one point and by a Level to rescue of their teammates fairly fre-
6 “operative” at another. quently.
Even D’avin acted from a sort of mind- LESSON 8: THE PAST
control, bringing the threat deeply into theCOMES TO HAUNT THEM
safest parts of this refuge. Everyone has a past. For rogues and he-
The Royale was invaded a few times in the roes there are generally loose ends, bested
series either by Company soldiers, criminalsrivals, deals gone sour and more that
should bubble up again right when the
on the run, or even just threatened with all-
out destruction when the Company started characters least need the distraction or
bombing Oldtown. threat. Dutch’s past is all wrapped in the big
plot of the Level 6 operatives.
LESSON 7: WHEN THE CHARACTERS
SPLIT UP, CREATE MINI-PLOTS FOR EACH She begins the series effectively running
GROUP from her past (she refuses to take level 5 ‘kill’
For Firefly, this lesson was crucial. When warrants and when she finally does, it sets
you have nine characters (and players) many other actions in motion).

D’avin’s haunting past was a major plot this is a blend of the Company town and
line of the first season of the show. Johnny social unrest tropes, nobility conspiracies,
had a rough childhood and later became a as well as bounty hunters and criminals.
thief but so far, his ghosts have been quiet. Characters have to pay the bills and have
LESSON 9: TAKE DEATH SERIOUSLY obligations to many people that keep
putting them in bounty hunter mode. The
The principle is to make death or the
Company should regularly impinge on their
threat of it significant in the campaign, not
lives in trivial and critical ways.
just a swipe of the holy ATM card to get a
quick resurrection. In Killjoys and Firefly LESSON 11: MORAL CHOICES
the rich have access to technologies the The best role-playing games challenge
poor only dream of. When talking about the player characters (and thus the players)
death, this opens up a lot of possibilities to with decisions that aren’t always easy to
save people with any manner of grievous make. Providing problems with no right
and mortal wounds. Having a Qreshi answer can really create depth in a
daughter as a personal friend means she character by the choices they make. I don’t
can pull strings and get the highest tech mean there should be insolvable problems,
Company medical ship to save her friend. but just ones with options that all have
Sounds like someone getting healed on an downsides. Two different obligations may
Alliance ship in Firefly. Of course, using that come into conflict and you risk alienating
sort of pull has its consequences including either one friend or the other.
increased attention from the Company or In Killjoys, these dilemmas are created
her family. but usually the characters try to meet all
LESSON 10: SUPPORT YOUR MOOD the obligations with as little fall-out as
Even while racing through your deep possible. This is one of the series most RPG-
plots with the characters, it is important like qualities as you can see the players
that you don’t lose the flavor of a setting. In working to figure out how to “win” despite
Firefly, this was a Western, post-American the challenges.
Civil War style and social issues. For Killjoys,

something Firefly and the
original Star Wars trilogy both did
very well.
LESSON 14: LET THEM
YIELD TO TEMPTATION
In the original article I advised
that all characters should have
weaknesses and you have to give
them the opportunities to yield
to that weakness. In Killjoys this
isn’t really part of the writing. All
three leads are just trying to do
the right thing. When plans go
off the rails, it is not by their
choice: D’avin’s hacked mind gets
triggered or Khlyen returns to
mess with Dutch’s life. In this
regard, our heroes are a little
more two-dimensional than I prefer.
In fact, the NPCs do a better job
LESSON 12: THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW of this. Dr. Pawter Simms has a drug
Unlike Firefly where the heroes definitely addiction she can’t shake. Alvis Akari, the
stray to the criminal side of things Killjoys leader of the scarbacks, is a man of faith but
has a crew who are technically part of the also the leader of the Westerlin revolutionaries,
establishment (the Law). For them there two roles which come into moral conflict.
are codes, laws, and rules they are LESSON 15: EVERYONE HAS A SECRET
supposed to follow. Characters with secrets create opportunities
If they break these rules, they have to face for adventures and role-playing. Secrets
the consequences (or at least wonder why should be serious with strong cause to keep
their rule-breaking never gets them the them secret due to consequences should it
punishment they expect). On the positive be revealed. Character bonds can be tested
side they can use the power of the Law if one feels the other has been lying to
(executing a warrant, taking down a target). them by keeping a big secret.
LESSON 13: HAVE FUN WITH THINGS In Killoys we learn about everyone’s past
a bit at a time, well-paced to leave them
In the original article, this lesson referred with an aura of interesting mystery. For a
to objects like Jane’s gun, Vera, but I’d like gaming group, this would let players
to take this in a different direction. Killjoys develop their character’s background
does a very good job of dropping off-hand organically as well without having to know
references that hint to a much larger every answer day one. Teasers can be
universe. For example, D’avin Jaqobi served thrown out there and not resolved until a
in the Imperial Marines of the United really good idea comes along. It also
Republic from the Rim, nowhere near the naturally supports PCs having secrets that
Quad. This intentional ‘world-building’ only come out when it makes sense. Their
draws you into the setting, makes it more secret may not be relevant for several
believable and interesting. This is gaming sessions.

Dutch’s past is full of secrets, baggage she this well with evolving relationships as
carries for the benefit of being a highly events occur, paths are chosen, and
trained assassin when the game begins sacrifices are made. How the main characters
(serious advantage/disadvantage trade-offs treat each other resonates in later episodes.
during the character build, I think). D’avin is When D’avin (under mind control) attacked
pretty straight forward with only one Dutch and Johnny, it echoed for several
terrible secret. Johnny’s past is most elusive episodes with broken trust. Even fulfilling
with hints of a life as a criminal and having their warrant to a Qreshi noble causes them
to do whatever he had to in order to problems later. (She actually wanted them
support his father and mother after D’avin to fail.)
joined the military. LESSON 18: PEOPLE LIE
LESSON 16: LET EVERYONE While the point here was to remember
SHOW THEIR STUFF that NPCs are not always going to spill what
While not as diverse in talents as the crew they know truthfully and accurately, I think
of the Serenity, each of our killjoy heroes for Killjoys the lesson is more how much
has a role to play. Johnny is the pilot and the PCs will lie to each other. Multiple times
the resident mechanic/techie. D’avin is the one of them will go off to take care of
big strong soldier. Dutch is the martial ‘personal’ business while dodging their
artist who has the social graces and curves partners (lying by omission). Dutch and
to infiltrate most anywhere. The show does D’avin struggle with pasts they feel
a decent job of letting each of their skill sets ashamed of and are loathe to be truthful
shine through at one time or another. about. They also lie to NPCs all over the
None of the heroes gets stuck on the place to avoid consequences or complete
sidelines as they can all fight, shoot, and the mission.
hunt down targets. That’s a nice way to LESSON 19: GIVE THEM A JOB TO DO
keep your pilot engaged instead of sitting The Killjoys setup of bounty hunters is a
on the ship all gaming session waiting to great structure to always provide the PCs
take off again. with the next job or withhold jobs when
LESSON 17: LET THE you want them to handle some down time
GOOD GUYS MAKE A PLAN or pursue their personal plot lines.
RPGs benefit from a mixture of Bounties can range quite widely from
challenges, not just fight after fight. Heists, information gathering, stealing something
infiltrations, and recons offer an opportunity back, apprehending a person of interest,
for our heroes to craft a plan full of false and even killing people. Just about every
identities, break-ins, and other things job we see has implications to the larger
bound to fail at just the wrong moment. plots but a few could just be a stand-alone
Killjoys adheres to this lesson with Johnny challenge as a change of pace.
and Dutch going undercover at a hock (BONUS) LESSON 20:
plantation and information gathering in THERE IS ALWAYS A BIG MYSTERY
disguise at the fringe space station Utopia. As we learned in the movie Serenity, Joss
LESSON 18: EVERY GOOD DEED GETS Whedon had at least one “big mystery”
PUNISHED seeded into his ‘Verse (see Miranda).
The lesson here is to provide a sense of Setting up a solid episodic structure for
reality and continuity to the game world. adventures is good foundation but unless
Actions have consequences. Killjoys does there is something bigger going on, the

shine will wear off sooner than you think. past endless twists, turns, lies, and ruses is
Which is more interesting: a band of bounty to discover the secret and have it make
hunters who all came from nowhere in sense for everything that has come before.
particular or the band of bounty hunters If you add layers of the onion as you go
that include a princess in hiding? along it will be impossible to come up with
In Killjoys they have a many tentacled Big the satisfactory conclusion everyone at the
Mystery which reveals its connectedness table deserves. Don’t adlib your way
through 6 seasons and come up with an
over time. They have bad guys who are
ending that couldn’t possibly fit everything
actually good guys, good guys who are
that came before (Lost, I’m looking at you).
doing the work of bad guys, many levels of
secret groups doing nasty things all in the THAT’S A WRAP
name of their own agenda. The religion of After fifty columns, it was fun to get back
the tree, the secretive Level 6 agents, and to the one that really started it all. I hope
probably even the origin of the Nine noble you give Killjoys a chance as a TV show and
families are tied together in a secret history as a game setting. If you’re up for flying
of the Quad. around the Quad chasing bounties, earning
It’s very tricky to string out a Big Mystery joy, and getting entangled in the machinations
just long enough to heighten players’ buy- of those much more powerful than you,
in to solving it without going so long they you can be a killjoy too. q
get frustrated and bored with it. There are Jim Davenport is an award-winning game designer
only so many layers you can add to the who runs the Dragonlaird Gaming design studio. His
onion. Give them short term goals, work appears in previous issues of this fine publication
as well as in products such as Serenity the RPG,
enemies to thwart, or good people that Serenity Adventures, Battlestar Galactica the RPG,
deserve to be saved as they pick at the Cortex System RPG, Guild of Shadows adventures, Tour
of Darkness adventure),and Adamant Entertainment
threads of the mystery. Most important is (Pulp villain). His first solo publication,
that you know what the Big Mystery is from Savage Characters Volume 1, is now available at
the very beginning. The payoff of getting DriveThruRPG.com.

N
ariela grew up cooking for her large family of rough-and-
tumble men in a trapping camp in Jorakk. When she left
home with a merchant she met, she found herself in
Frandor’s Keep for a few months, cooking for the guard contingent
stationed there. But, her relationship didn’t last. The merchant cheated
on her with a Dejy waitress and then married her, setting up shop in the
Keep and making life uncomfortable for her. She threw him through a
door, took her sturdy mule and headed out to find somewhere more
friendly.
She met the owner of an inn called the Blue Hen in the caravan she
joined up with on her travels. She cooked for the caravan in exchange for
some grain for her mule, and the man, a minor noble named Lord Veos
Satham, offered her a job cooking for him.
Nariela is a great cook, and is beautiful. But a lot of men are intimi-
dated by her because she is an imposing figure, with broad shoulders
and a quick, foul mouth. She smokes a pipe and cares nothing for social
niceties. She also has a temper, as her ex-boyfriend found out. Anyone
who insults her cooking is in danger. She’s broken a few noses with her
fist, given others lumps with whatever she can get her hands on to
throw. She once beaned a rude patron with a jug of cow’s milk.
She is not all rough edges though. She has a soft spot for children
and young people. She will cook them special treats and will protect
them from abuse if she sees it.
It was Nariela who pushed her employer to hire the young man
known as Bittleson. He’s 17, and considered slow and awkward by most.
And, that he is. But, she does not abide people picking on him. That said,
she does not coddle the lad. He’s expected to keep the dishes, tables
and floor clean. She sees him look at her with a mixture of fear and
admiration and she wants to keep him grounded, so she speaks sternly
Nariela Lonsem to him and is aware that often she sounds harsher than she means to.
Not only does she fight for children and against those who insult her,
Race: Human but she has to fend off the advances of some amorous men, especially
Class: NPC
Level: N/A 7 +4 after they’ve drunk a lot of ale.
Size: M +0 All sorts of people patronize the Blue Hen, but a rough and rowdy
Movement: 5 ft
Alignment: CG -4 0 crowd is there just about every night. Many of them like to try to pinch
Reared: Jorakk her, pick on Bittleson and generally make trouble. Lord Veos laughs that
Hit Points: 26
_____________________ 2d4p 8 he didn’t just hire a cook when he found Nariela, but a bouncer too.
Tenacity Brave Int 11/12 Fatigue -3 1ʼ 5
The worst of the lot is Arfen Firfire, the town blacksmith with bulging
muscles and “the brain of an ape” as Nariela says often. Worst thing
Possessions: Mule, dagger, cooking utensils Skills
cooking/baking 89% about him, besides his terrible manners and bullying ways, is he never
riding 55% gets tired of flirting with Nariela. “You’d think by the 12th time he’s
Proficiencies: dagger, trilingual, laborer, language (Fhokki) 74%
language (Dejy) 69% gotten an ale in the face he would wise up,” she tells Lord Veos. “Yep,
maintenance/upkeep, throwing axe
language (Kal.) 68% the brain of an ape... or maybe a *#&# worm.”
resist persuasion 85%
Talents: poison resistant intimidation 58% By Barb Blackburn
listening 37%
scrutiny 64%
observation 48%
Quirks and Flaws: foul mouth, boor literacy 57% Note: Nariela learned to use a throwing axe, as every member of her clan does.
glean info 43% It has been more than a year since she’s done it, however. She does joke that it’s
where she gets her skill at throwing objects at unruly patrons.

P
oor Bittleson has lost much in his young life already. As an
awkward, anxiety-ridden teen, he struggles to make a life for
himself, simple as it is. He is happy in his meager job of
washing tables, dishes and floors at the Blue Hen.
His mom died a few years ago, coming down with a sickness that
also hit Bittleson. The disease affected the boy’s ability to think, and so,
though he is 17, he feels, and acts, a bit younger. His dad took off and
Bittleson believes the man who fathered him was killed, but nobody is
sure. Nor, does anyone care very much.
Some townsfolk were kind to him after his mom died. Some were
cruel. Bullies love picking on him for his timidity. They love to scare him
and laugh when he jumps or cries. Thankfully, some of the folks in town
don’t approve of the bullying and will stop it when they can. Old Mother
Garsham took her cane to the grocer’s sons who were throwing rocks at
the lad. She took him into her home for awhile, until old age took her
away.
It’s a tough town for someone like Bittleson. But, Lord Veos, who
owns a lot of the town, cares about him and hired him to work in his
inn, at the insistence of the cook, Nariela Lonsem. They both look out for
him. Lord Veos gives him room and board for his work, and some
coppers too. Nariela cooks him special dishes and protects him from
bullies in the Blue Hen. Sometimes, if she’s on the street she’ll also
protect him there too. Nobody messes with her. She may be pretty, but
she’s strong, big and is not afraid to use her fists or other weapons if she
gets angry.
Young Bit, as Nariela calls him, has an incredibly huge crush on the
cook as a result of her gruff kindness. But, she also scares him. He’s seen
her deck more than one large, menacing man before and knock him
cold.
Because of all of the abuse he’s taken, Bit doesn’t have any self-con-
Bittleson fidence. He doesn’t look anyone in the eye, walks with a stooped
posture and looks at the ground a lot. He has used his mop to defend
Race: Human
Class: NPC himself before, but, has usually hasn’t the courage to do that. If he’s
Level: N/A 10 +6 terrified or caught off guard, he might swing it. He is much braver when
Size: M -1 he thinks Nariela is in trouble. He knocked a passing merchant on his
Movement: 5 ft
Alignment: NG -5 0 ass once because the man wouldn’t keep his hands off of her. Nariela
Reared: Shyta-na-dobyo gave him an extra scoop of potatoes for that one.
Hit Points: 22
_____________________ d4p+d6p 7
When he isn’t working, or making eyes at Nariela, Bit can most often
Tenacity Cowardly Int 9/35 22ʼ 5
Fatigue -3 be found in his room carving figures out of bits of wood. He has never
shown his creations to anyone, but has considered giving one to Nariela.
Possessions: a mop and a locket he got from Skills
He’s made a small bear holding a flower for her but he doesn’t have the
his mother. hiding 35%
animal empathy 32% courage to give it to her. Maybe one day he will.
language (Dejy) 64%
Proficiencies: laborer, bilingual, club agriculture 35% Bit also has an affinity for animals, especially birds. He saves scraps
fire building 28% from the tables for them and feeds them behind the inn at times.
craft 39%
Talents: forgettable face, dodge current affairs 37% By Barb Blackburn
listening 31%
language (Kal.) 50%
observation 33%
Quirks and Flaws: coward, claustrophobia, escape artist 52% Note: Bittleson got his name because when he was young, his mother said
fear of heights glean info 28% he was a little bit of a son. He heard bittleson, and that’s what he calls
himself. She gave him a locket as she was dying that he treasures.

I
t’s almost funny the way so many townsfolk just love Arfen
Firfire, even though he is a bully, a brute and cruel. But
then, many of them are the same, so, Arfen has a gang of
town thugs who egg each other on to pick on smaller, weaker
folk.
He’s the town blacksmith, and he gives deals to his pals, while
jacking up the price for people he doesn’t care for. He hangs out
with some local guards, the leather smith, a retired soldier and
some menial laborers. Those are the people he relates to. He
despises those who are weak in his eyes, cowards, soft-handed
merchants and nobles, and anyone who does magic or is a
member of the clergy, except for clergy of darker, menacing
deities. He especially can’t stand Caregiver clerics. He laughs with
his friends that they are the biggest fools alive.
His favorite spot to kick back with his friends is the Blue Hen.
The cook, while feisty and combative, is easy on the eyes and she
is a great cook. She can’t stand him, but, that doesn’t mean
anything to him. He doesn’t care what she thinks, only what she
looks like and how she cooks.
Besides flirting with Nariela, the cook, and badmouthing Lord
Veos and his soft, bleeding heart, his favorite activity in the inn is
picking on poor Bittleson. He’s a world-class bully. Nothing makes
him laugh harder than to see the boy tripped with a tray full of
dirty dishes, especially if he lands in something disgusting. He is
constantly taunting him as well, calling him “coward,”“bitty kitty”
and more disgusting names.
Nariela gets so angry with him when he does such things, but,
that just makes it more fun. Every time she beans him with an
Arfen Firfire ale mug, or slaps him across the face, it just adds to his
Race: Human
enjoyment.
Class: NPC He really has no respect for Bittleson, because the boy is
Level: N/A 12 +5
Size: M +0 always scared. He tells his friends that the boy deserves every-
Movement: 5 ft thing that happens to him because people like him are not even
Alignment: CN -4 0 human, but more like rabbits ready for the hunt. His friends often
Reared: Shyta-na-dobyo
Hit Points: 34
_____________________ d8p+d10 11 join in the tormenting of the boy, though they’ve been thrown
Tenacity Steady Str 18/77 Int 10/19 22ʼ +6
8 out of the Blue Hen many times. Lord Veos and Nariela are not
Fatigue -3
sure what to do about Arfen and his buddies. They hate to see
Skills Bittleson so abused.
Possessions: Blacksmith tools, forge. blacksmithing 83%
carpentry 61% As for Bittleson? He keeps praying that the brute will fall in his
language (Kal) 67% own furnace someday. Plus, he quite often spits in the bully’s ale.
Proficiencies: hammer (similar to great intimidation 68%
warhammer), laborer, maintenance/upkeep. gambling 49% By Barb Blackburn
hunting 68%
persuasion 58%
salesmanship 43%
Talents: damage bonus, hammer, stout skilled liar 67%
riding 33%
swimming 28% Note: Arfen often brags that if he weren’t a blackmith, he’d make a great
Quirks and Flaws: cruel, inappropriate sense
listening 25% warrior. He’s secretly jealous of Bittleson because Nariela is so kind to him, and
of humor, mean drunk.
it’s plain to see the boy has a crush on the lady.

L ord Veos Satham is a big man, at least in his own eyes. He owns the
Blue Hen and several other businesses, including a general store
and a laundry. But Lord Veos is not much of a noble. In fact, it is rumored
that he isn’t really a noble at all, but simply calls himself a lord and
everyone believes him. Whatever the case, he speaks, acts, and dresses
like nobility, plus he has some wealth, so, not too many are concerned
about questioning him about it.
In spite of a certain degree of arrogance, Lord Veos is really good-
hearted and compassionate. He wants people to be happy and he
despises bullies. His parents left him their estate, he tells folks, but,
little else. He tells his closest friends that his wealth and gentility often
made him the target of bullying as well, and he had no parents to
protect him.
So, when he sees the boy Bittleson being picked on by bullies, he is
greatly concerned and displeased. He is not a hot-headed man. And, he
doesn’t wear emotion on his sleeve. But, he has challenged a few
bullies to duels over the boy’s treatment (all of which were declined by
those challenged.)
One reason some don’t think he’s a noble is because he is friendly to
common folk, and genuinely seems to care about them. But, the bullies
can’t stand him. They grumble about his fancy ways and lordly airs. They
talk about maybe teaching him a lesson some day.
Lord Veos fears for Bittleson’s safety at the Inn, because of the
drinking that takes place there. He is thinking of offering the boy
employment in the laundry instead, hoping that would be safer.
For some reason, he’s taken a liking not only to the lad, but to the
uncouth female cook at the Blue Hen. He is surprised at how easy she
is to talk to about the dishwasher’s safety and what he wants for the
boy.
He hasn’t noticed that she seems to be smitten with him. He would
never dream of being in a relationship with a woman with such crude
manners, but, he does feel she is a friend. In fact, he seems to treat her
Lord Veos Satham as if she were a male friend, drinking, laughing and talking with her
when she isn’t cooking.
Race: Human She isn’t sure offering the boy a job at the laundry would help Bit’s
Class: NPC situation, but, she’s willing to let him try if he thinks it would be better.
Level: N/A 9 +4 She’d miss the boy, but, it might be what is best.
Size: M +4
Movement: 5 ft She thinks it’d be better to teach the ruffians some manners. She’d
Alignment: CG +7 M 0 love to have them arrested for what they’ve done, but Lord Veos says
Reared: Kalamar they are too well-connected in town, giving discounts to judges and
Hit Points: 32
_____________________ 2d8p+2 10 the guard captain. He doesn’t think they’d be convicted, and then the
Tenacity Brave Int 15/06 Fatigue -3 3ʼ 7 noble, and maybe the cook would be in their sights as well, and the
retaliation could be worse than ever. “Let me talk to some friends, and
Possessions: several businesses, small estate, maybe we can figure something out. One thing is sure, this cannot
Skills
+1 long sword, horse, fancy medium shield, administration 91% continue. They even had the nerve to throw mud on my new jacket the
furs, a few paintings, a library of rare books. riding 81% other day. They are so out of control.”
diplomacy 62%
appraisal 71% By Barb Blackburn
Proficiencies: long sword spec., shield,
language (Kal) 82%
armor, etiquette, trilingual, local history.
language (Dejy) 80%
language (Brand) 72%
Talents: greased lightning, physical literacy (Kal) 47%
conditioning persuasion 61%
Note: When Lord Veos mentions talking to friends, he really is talking about
recruiting 39%
salesmanship 72% merchants in another town. He is talking about asking them to hire Arfen so
Quirks and Flaws: chivalrous, clean freak observation 53% he’ll move.

adventure, the party eventually trickled mirrored lake. Disease was running ram-
back into Highwater...a few here, a few pant, with bouts of Rat Bite Fever among
there. All the while, the rat problem had others going unchecked, the healers of the
gone unchecked...as more guild members city being over-taxed in their efforts to
had gone missing, minor adventurers treat and cure those afflicted. Whole city
hired never returned, and the rat blocks had been quarantined in an effort
population was getting out of hand. to contain disease outbreak...and the rat
Fast forward several more months into population continued to grow unabated.
the future, when three party members It was then decided that our stalwart
decided to take it upon themselves to see adventurers would answer the call to solve
if they could solve the problem, as now the problem. They paid handsomely to
The Rat Catchers Guild was down to but a have several of their weapons silvered, as
handful of members. They delved into one the prior group's tale gave them thoughts
section of the sewers to see what they of a wererat in the sewers below. They
could discover. were then led to a secret entrance into the
In the dank and filthy depths below, sewers by a party member (who is of rank
they witnessed thousands of the rodents in the local Thieves Guild) that used a
choking the sewers, along with a few section of the sewers to travel to various
RATS! dozen larger variety of rat. They discovered safehouses within the city.
O ur HackMaster campaign continued the body of at least one Rat Catcher, and They encountered thousands of the
last night, with a rodent problem of eventually came face-to-face with a rat- rodents as they pushed forward, waist-
disastrous proportions. WARNING! Wall of like creature of human size deeper into the deep in the filth from the city above.
text ahead! sewer system. They encountered dead bodies, swarms
Instead of going in the direction I For one reason or another, they of rats...a veritable deluge of them that
thought they were going to choose (which "noped" right the hell out of there, and came pouring out of one overflow pipe, at
I prepared for), the group decided to take went on to other adventures. least one giant rat, overflow chambers,
care of the ever-growing rat problem in We now come to the present, when all waterlogged and bloated corpses, a sewer
the capital city of Highwater. of the members of their adventuring gouger, and ghouls who had been pulling
group returned to Highwater from all bodies from the cemetery above through
A little backstory...
compass points for a moot...where they a collapsed ceiling in one chamber. In all,
Almost three in-game years prior, while they didn't get to push very far into the
setting up shop in the city and handling could all meet, exchange information and
tales of adventure, and decide on courses sewers before trouble found
other things, members of the party them...though it may have something to
listening for rumors and adventure hooks of action to tie up loose ends or pursue
adventures and problems that had gone do with the character that led them to this
discovered that the city had a "minor" rat section, forgetting about all of the perils
problem...in that several members of The unresolved for some time.
below in these particular causeways, and
Rat Catchers Guild had gone missing while When they returned, they learned that
why the guild no longer uses these as
clearing the sewers of pockets of there has been an explosion in the rat
passages to safehouses.
infestation. population within Highwater. The old Rat
Catchers Guild was gone, as it had no And here I thought they were heading
Now...they opted to follow up on some- out to the ruins of Gul'dagad north of
thing else at the time, and left Highwater members...the new Rat Catchers Guild
that was formed by order of High King Anderai some 1600+ miles on the far side
in pursuit of a woman by the name of
Dornesh was fighting an uphill battle, as of the realm of Meinai.—Tom Coster
Callera that was up to no good in the ruins
of fabled Ne'cani, and ended up tracking the problem had grown too great for them
to handle and they made little headway BEST-LAID PLANS
her and her two companions that
scattered in different directions...
eventually leading them down The Time-
against the infestation. Food stores were
being depleted, consumed, or fouled by
the rats...thousands of rat carcasses
L ong ago in the 80's in our Traveller
group we brainstormed one evening
and came up with an idea for a game
less Tracks, across The Evrenether Marches
and into the central realms of Ethulr. choked the sewers, the gutters, and even where all the players were pirates except
had been found in larders, stables, and one preferably newbie player who had no
After many, many months of travel and
floating dead in Myr'Lunashard, Highwater's idea of what was going on. We wondered
how long it would take for the player to
figure out he had joined a pirate crew. We THE PUSHOVER WASCALLY WABBIT
W I
never had a chance before that group hen I was in high school, I decided to had entered an AD&D campaign, al-
broke up and I've never been in an oppor- run The Temple of Existential Evil for ready in progress, run by some friends.
tunity to run the scenario. Hackmaster for some of my friends. I was When I asked for a summary of what had
—Michael Maley a bad GM and did not read through the happened, one friend started singing like
entire adventure beforehand. My players Bugs Bunny, "There was a magic
WALKING THE PLANK decided to really have a go at the starting user/whose magic ring was stolen..."
town and Molotov Cocktail'd it to the Everyone laughed except for the DM, who
I once DM'd a team of noobs. In one
dungeon there was a chasm and 5
planks lying nearby. The planks were too
ground. It was fun, and I just decided to
roll with it. When they got to the entrance
was fairly pissed. Once everybody calmed
down, the DM said, "Okay, there's this
to the Temple, and were presented with a magic user whose magic ring was
short to cross the chasm but the players
moral quandary by the Temple's gate- stolen..." which caused another round of
did not check first.
keeper, I read the flavor text aloud to laughter. —James Lynch
The thief said that he laid the plank them, it being the first time I'd read it, as
"over the chasm" and walked over... I said well, Unfortunately, the gatekeeper asked CRITICAL SLEEP FAILURE
that the others saw that thief apparently
Y
them to go burn down the town. If ears ago our group had a player who
seem to throw a plank in the hole and memory serves, I trailed off mid-
jumped in after it. The rest of the team said prior to the start of the session,
paragraph and had to admit to my players "Critical Failures makes the game so much
were so busy arguing that they caught what had happened. We all got a good
only part of what I said, and thought the more interesting." In the big fight of the
laugh at that, and I was forced to let them session, his character was the only who
thief walked on the plank but fell off. So stroll right on into the Temple
the cleric said he was going to place a did not wake up from the sound of
unchallenged! —Jonathan Pickens combat nor did his character wake up
plank and walk on the plank (that plank
was now also lying on the bottom of the when one of the other PCs tried to wake
SPACE ZOMBIES the character. Every single roll to wake up
chasm). So I rolled and told him he woke
up with a bump on his head at the bottom
of the chasm.
Ianheroes
n one of the Star Wars games I ran the
were sent on a mission to destroy
Imperial super soldier research instal-
was a 1. —Chen Lee
SHOULDN’T ALLOW FOES TO RECOVER

One by one they all thought to cross the lation, located inside an asteroid. Their
chasm by walking over a plank (that fell
on the bottom) and I was almost bursting
cover was as an Imperial inspection team.
They arrived to find all the personnel I n a GURPS fantasy game, where spells
tire you instead of being limited per day,
the big baddie laughed behind his magic
with laughing because in my mind I saw apparently dead but later found them-
all of them jump into the chasm and 'walk selves being attacked by zombie shield as we took down his minions. Badly
the plank'... I almost couldn't breath from Stormtroopers and research personnel. It wounded and running on fumes, he could
laughing, I tried to stop them after the 3rd gradually dawned upon them that this have easily defeated us if he had joined
one just said "she was going to walk the was a Star Wars/Resident Evil crossover I the fight. But he was certain that we
plank" and tumbled down, but the laugh- was running. The equivalent of the T-virus couldn't penetrate his defense, and sat
ing made them angry and number 4 and 5 had been part of the Imperial research to chuckling on his throne while we healed
interrupted me: They were going to show create super soldiers, which had escaped and rested for a few hours. Silly Lich, don't
containment, infecting everyone in the you know we're on a mission from a
ME how its done! And both of the said
base. The Red Queen A.I. in charge was a gawd? The impenetrable magic wall
THEY were going to walk the plank and no
computer replicate of Ysanne Isard, the collapsed at our divine-blessed approach,
Dungeon master was going to stop them! Director of Imperial Intelligence! Anyway and I fired my strongest spell, nearly
I decided not to do a TPK, as they were the wookiee, Fengraa, got bitten and destroying him in one shot. The fight
noobs... I thought up a way for them to get infected by one of the zombies so they had
wasn't quite over; the evil dead managed
out of the hole, they had to bundle the 5 to search for the antidote for him. In a later
to fire off an acid spell, blinding my
planks to create a ladder....so they all D&D game I had them face a zombie
version of Fengraa for amusement value! wizard and removing him from the fight.
managed to get out.... on the wrong side
The zombie Fengraa kept trying to say But he fell soon enough to my strong-
of the chasm and all the planks were still
“Stormtroopers” rather than “brains”, as armed comrades. Thank goodness for
at the bottom. —Richard Seesing
Fengraa’s favourite hobby was beating up overconfident enemies!
Stormtroopers. —Mark Dowson —LarstheGreatq

Rings of Bonding
W
hen Do’campa, an elderly mage, to send a distress signal to the other, they
noble and doting father noticed would tap the crystal three times to send it.
that his precious daughter, The rings worked well for father and
Lydanza, was growing up to be beautiful, he daughter for many years until one day,
began to worry. He feared that she might be someone really did kidnap Lydanza. When her
kidnapped or meet an unsavory young man father followed the signal to where she was
who would have ill intentions that Lydanza being held. With him, he had several men he
would be too gullible to see through. hired to protect him and fight with the
Knowing that he couldn’t keep her locked kidnapper.
up and still be loving, he began to experiment Sadly, Lydanza was already dead, and in the
with some magic to help protect her. It didn’t struggle with the kidnapper, her father
take him too long to devise a special gift for became enraged, rushing forward to attack
her, and he gave it to her on her 17th birthday. and was also killed.
He gave her a ring with a clear crystal
The men at arms fled the scene and the
embedded in silver band, and he had one for
kidnappers robbed the bodies, taking the
himself that matched.
rings. They had no idea the rings were magic,
The magic within the crystal gave them the so they sold them off for 50 silver each.
ability to locate one another when they both
The rings disappeared for a long time after
wore them. If Do’campa wanted to find his
that, and were forgotten about until recently. A
daughter, he could rub the crystal and look
merchant in Cosolen has been bragging that
into it. Her image would appear in the crystal,
he has a matched pair of magic rings. He’s
and the ring would begin to emit faint
hoping to sell them for a hefty fee.
vibrations that would get stronger the closer
he got to her. The problem with bragging is that not only
do potential customers get the message, but
If Lydanza wanted to find her father, she
so do potential robbers. Barb Blackburn
could do the same. If she, or her father, wanted
HOLIDAY INN
SETTING: Any
BAIT: The party has been on the road for quite some time, but a
town they are familiar with beckons ahead, an innkeeper that owes
them a favor or three is always good for great food and a warm bed,
which seems like heaven at this point. Making their way into town
without too much hassle at the gate, fortunately the inn is very close.
As they arrive they see a crew of laborers and painters working out-
side and inside the place. It’s being painted a startling white and all
the cozy furniture and homey looking tables are being pulled out.
Sitting sadly across the road from the construction is the worthy
innkeeper, his head in his hands.
TACKLE: As the party approaches, the poor fellow explains that
the inn was in his family for generations, and now has been taken killed, the others will retreat. The unarmed laborers will not be able
over by a powerful foreign merchant who has persuaded the gov- to help, but several will come up very gratefully. Notably their wrists
ernment (likely through bribes) to push him out of the property, cit- and ankles bear the scars of wearing manacles for some time.
ing his place being an eyesore and not modern enough to reflect Interestingly enough, if they are freed about half of the prisoners
well on the town. He was paid a pittance for the place, which is now will nervously mill about the wagon, apparently waiting for their
being destroyed and replaced with a modern monstrosity, plain and captors to return, Stockholm Syndrome? But the other half will
without charm. quickly head for the hills.
What the party can do about it, or whether they choose to, creates In truth, the prisoners are almost all legally convicted felons from
an interesting political opportunity. The local government is torn be- the neighboring kingdom. Their prison facility is not far from here,
tween loyalty to its citizens and local business people and the infu- and the ogres who work there have gone back for reinforcements. In
sion of foreign cash. The new owner of the inn owns many buildings less than an hour, squads of armored soldiers will find their way to
and has done this same thing in towns all throughout this nation the area, repossessing the obedient prisoners, but more importantly
and others. They are not some secret evil organization, simply a very looking for the “murderers” who have freed the convicts, many of
astute business model that profits by economy of scale and paying whom are killers and bandits and worse. They will track the party
their employees low wages, offering the bare minimum in comfort down relatively quickly unless they have extraordinary means. The
and mostly selling that they are the same everywhere, which isn’t group will quickly find themselves in the same very strict legal
terrifically appealing to most folks. If the party takes up this David vs. system that imprisoned the fruit-pickers. The only way to clear their
Goliath battle it will be quite different than any opponent they have names will involve hunting down the escapees, many of whom have
ever taken on before. banded together to resume their dastardly raids, but a few
By Benjamin Lomax individuals have gone out to hide away and pursue their own
diabolical agendas.
ROTTEN PEACHES By Benjamin Lomax
SETTING: Inn MAGE FOR HIRE
BAIT: The party is travelling through the wildlands when they see
SETTING: Any
a strange sight ahead of them. A large grove of fruit trees spreads
out in the valley below with many adults dressed in orange tabards BAIT: While in town, the party will be approached by an eager
picking fruit from the trees. Several ogres wander through the trees, young man who says he is a magic user and he would like to join up
their heads above the treetops. Every once in a while they will grunt with the party. He’ll do some harmless magic spells to prove his
at the workers, who hustle back to picking fruit. Looking closely, the abilities. He says he’s willing to work for half shares until he’s proved
pickers are haggard and tired, their skin suffering the effects of the himself to the party.
sun. Approaching a bit closer, the men in the trees closest to the TACKLE: The mage really wants to get out of town quickly and
party are singing a strange song about rotten peaches, though it ap- will urge the party to take him with them. He’ll recommend they
pears most of the fruit they are picking is ripe based on the large leave as soon as possible because he’s heard a rumor of vast wealth
quantity stored in baskets, which are being carried to a large wagon in a nearby ruins. Truth is, he is wanted by authorities for selling fake
already half full. potions. He had a nice scam going selling bottles of water, oil, and
TACKLE: The party might make the assumption that these other non-magical “potions.” Several people want his head, and the
laborers are slaves of the ogres, perhaps taken in some raid. They authorities have been looking for him. The PCs might just get caught
massively outnumber the ogres, as many as 30 to 1. If the party in the drama.
attacks the ogres, they will defend themselves, but if even one is By Barbara Blackburn
healing utilized. Even more than the physical damage is the mental
STOCKING UP wear and tear. The grand profits from dragon-slaying don’t gleam
SETTING: Wilderness camp golden like they once did. More of their time and energies are
BAIT: Flyers have gone out to towns and villages in the area. A min- devoted to handling their own political affairs than mapping out a
ing company is recruiting people to help them restock their mines dungeon or hunting down some fierce enemy. In fact, a notable bard
with slaves. They are offering 20 silver pieces per slave, as long as has contacted the party about an epilogue, a ballad unrivaled about
they are healthy and strong. Anyone wanting to collect needs to bring all the things the group has accomplished. It sounds like a fitting end
their slaves to a camp in the woods. A map is included in the flyers. to a terrific story.
Also, the flyers state that they are announcing a contest for slave TACKLE: The party has an interesting opening here. Their story
hunting. The group or person who brings the most healthy slaves to being penned and performed will make their legend grow, but it also
the camp will win an additional 50 silver. clearly means their peak is long behind them. The bard is immensely
TACKLE: The flyer never said what the loser of the contest wins. talented and their song will be something for the ages. In truth, the
At the camp, several overseers are on hand to inspect the slaves bard has been compensated very well by one of the party’s oldest
brought in for sale. There is a wagon with chains for transporting and strongest opponents. He/she has gathered up their resources
slaves to the mines and a boss who directs the activities. The group over some years and plans to resume their plans to “take over the
that brings in the least amount of healthy slaves wins a prize too. world”. The ballad is a distraction, with the bard employed to make
They are conscripted as slaves themselves. Several large, burly men its construction take as long as possible. Constant tuning of each lyric
are on hand to make sure that happens. Also, the other slave gath- to make it perfect, sit-downs with the group or its individual
erers are offered a reward for subduing the low-producting slave members for days at a time to hear about their stories, repeated ad
hunters. By Barbara Blackburn nauseum. The plot will be difficult to discern, as the construction of
the ballad will indeed proceed, each improvement noticeable. If they
ALL THE NASTIES begin to suspect they are being delayed/distracted, the bard will
perform it for them, bringing tears to their eyes. By the time it is
SETTING: Any finished, their enemy should have regained most of what the party
BAIT: The party has wrapped up another profitable raid, this time once took from them, and raising their careers from unofficial
against a powerful wizard who had captured local villagers and retirement might be more work than they want to dedicate.
experimented on them. They were unable to save any of the captives, By Benjamin Lomax
but after a frightful fight with his guards and then with the wizard’s
own dark magic, they were able to bring an end to his foul experi- WAKE UP!
ments. Upon returning to celebrate their success, the group finds a
cold reception indeed. After some digging, they find out that the SETTING: Inn
wizard had used his experiments to find the cure for two different BAIT: The PCs have found an inn for the evening. It looks like a
plagues that had ravaged the countryside. The “captives” were good, suitable establishment. The furnishings are plain but clean.
apparently brave volunteers who sacrificed themselves to further the The food is hearty, simple stew and hard bread. The ale is
research. Killing him has made the party persona non grata in the surprisingly strong. The waitress tells the PCs that the owner brews
area. In fact one local noble campaigns actively for them to face legal the ale himself. The PCs may get to meet the owner. He often mingles
penalties and at the very least to be banished. with guests, telling stories of his days as an elite soldier working for
TACKLE: The party might well assume they are in a no-win situ- a special force. He is strong, tough, no-nonsense wearing an
ation here and leave the area. If they do this rumor of being vigilantes impeccable old uniform.
will follow them, as the noble has contacts in many surrounding TACKLE: If the PCs stay in the inn, their good nights’ sleep may be
areas. In fact this noble was funding the research. The wizard created interrupted (50% chance) by the owner’s terrible flashbacks of
the plagues and their cures to fund the noble, who imports the pri- battle. When he has these episodes, he screams, runs through the
mary ingredient to the cure, which was sold rather than given away. halls with a weapon (sometimes a stick or even a boot), waves it
The “brave volunteers” are those who raise concerns or otherwise are around in an imaginary skirmish. It takes his wife and grown son at
trouble-makers. None can be verified to have volunteered prior to least a half hour to get him calmed down. If the PCs happen to be
their disappearance. The party will need to devote considerable time outside of their rooms, they may be attacked, but the man is not very
and energy to clear their names, resisted at every step. dangerous unless he manages to get his hands on a real weapon. He
By Benjamin Lomax can pack a mean punch, however. Or, they may be recruited to join his
fight. He’s not in his right mind and can either see extra people as
GOOD BYE enemies or compatriots. No matter if he has a flashback or not, the
owner will wake everyone up at the crack of dawn beating a drum
SETTING: Any
and hollering “up, up, up! We’re wasting daylight!”
BAIT: The last foray out into the wildlands made your group once
By Barbara Blackburn q
again think about retiring from the business. The wounds don’t heal
anywhere near as fast as they once did, no matter the magical

Chomper
AKA: Hungry Treasure Trap
INTENT: Maiming
MECHANISM: Weights, serrated blades
LETHALITY: Medium
SUGGESTED DAMAGE: Hacking, 2d8p
ENGINEER: Barb Blackburn
of the wooden panel, and any weight shift,

whether by taking something out, or putting
anything else in, will cause the powerful hinges
of the lid to spring. The lid will slam shut, and
since it is lined by sharp, serrated blades that
look like teeth, anyone who has a hand, finger,
or other body part inside when the spring goes
will quite possibly lose a body part. (GMs -
consider the blade snap a called shot to what-
ever limb is inside the lid.)
T
his trap is in great demand with nobles,
royals and others who want to safeguard
their wealth. One reason for its demand
is that it’s portable and requires little setup.
It serves two purposes actually: you can store
your treasure inside the treasure chest called The
Chomper by most merchants dealing in this
specialty item, and it will severely harm anyone
who tries to steal the treasure inside.
Experienced thieves will recognize it and may

be able to disarm it. Shoving it on its back may
do the trick. Owners of the traps have special
keys that disarm the trap when they want to
retrieve anything from the chest. The weight is
automatically reset by the key to match what
has been stored inside after the key relocks the
chest and the trap is once again set.
It is rumored that some very dark-hearted
owners have collections of body parts gathered
by The Chomper. Some use those body parts for
The chest is not quite as deep, storage-wise,
spells and such. Some feed carnivorous pets
as it appears. A wooden panel inside hides a
with the remains.
weight system underneath that is quite sensitive
to any change in the weight of the treasure It must be noted that these chests are quite
stored within the chest. The treasure sits on top expensive to own.q

Gangbusters
PUBLISHER: TSR
TYPE: RPG
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 or more
PLAYING TIME: 1 hour and up
DESIGNER: Richard S. “Rick” Krebs, Tom Moldvay,
Mark Acres
DATE PUBLISHED: 1982
FREQUENCY: Rare
GOING RATE/USED COPY: $50
SCOUTED BY: Alan Hume
W
ritten by Richard S. “Rick” Krebs with
Mark Acres (co-founder of Paceset-
famous 'Non-player characters have feelings
ter Ltd. Publisher of Wabbit
too' piece amongst others and kept up a con-
Wampage amongst others) and the late great
stant correspondence with Gary Gygax up until
Tom Moldvay of classic D&D fame. Gang-
his death in 2008.
busters harks back to the early eighties and
the golden age of roleplaying and is one of Gangbusters grew directly from Rick Krebs'
those 'greats' that I fondly remember from original 'Bloody 20's' game (with additional
waaaaay back in the day. Gangbusters takes input from Brian Blume who famously ran TSR's
you straight back to a mythical age when al- 'Chicago 20's' campaign), the game (originally
most anything was possible, when giants slated to be called 'Public Enemy') was a diver-
walked the earth and gaming ruled the land sion from the straight (vanilla?) fantasy that TSR
(well almost). It truly was a golden age though was primarily known for. Set in the America of
the Roaring 20's, the prohibition years when
and I still get the shivers thinking back on it,
gangsterism was at its height and based in
fact is I miss it, the times, the places, the people,
Lakefront City, a fictional version of Chicago,
all those long nights spent gaming with friends
players can either take on the mob as 'Gang-
that slowly but surely turned into dawn as we
busters' or play the criminals themselves
lost track of the time, all of it. One thing is sure,
(Gangbusters was possibly the first 'non-co-
we'll never see its like again and Gangbusters
operative' roleplaying game where players
is a direct link back to that vitally charged time.
could actually adopt confrontational roles and
Rick Krebs himself of course is surely one of
work against each other). Inspired by both
gaming's unsung heroes, he is credited as a
historical reality and Hollywood's fictional ver-
contributer on page 8 of the original 1979
sion (I can heartily recommend you check out
Dungeon Master's Guide and was also a anything with Jimmy Cagney or Edward
writer for TSR's Dragon magazine he wrote the
G.Robinson in it) Gangbusters
adroitly captures the feel and
essence of the time evoking the
names of such greats as Eliot
Ness and Melvin Purvis (along
with notorious figures such as Al
Capone).
I think changing the name to
Gangbusters from Public Enemy
was an astute move on TSR's part
as it, no doubt, drew attention
away from the criminal aspects
of the game and put the focus on
the heroes, the cops and gang-
busters themselves (remember,
this was the time of the Satanic
Panic and TSR really didn't need
any more negative press).
Gangbusters came, as did all
TSR games of the time (save
AD&D of course), packaged in a
nice sturdy box with a 64 page
rulebook, a 16 page adventure, a
game map showing a section of
Lakefront City (many locations
are named directly after friends
or relatives of the designer, for
example 'Bud's Garage' is named after his Gangbusters was (like 'Boot Hill') percentile
Uncle Bud, it's a nice touch and shows heart), driven and used D10's for most task resolution
cardboard counters and dice. It had every- so it was a step away from the familiar D20
thing you needed to get started but if you based Dungeons and Dragons. Nevertheless,
wanted more you were a bit stuck really as for many, a percentile system was more
Gangbusters never shared in the generous intuitive than D&D's linear curve. The game
support that D&D engendered unfortunately. was, like most games of the time, class driven
Regardless, there was some additional mate- with players having the option of following
rial produced, between 1982 and 1984 TSR re- either Law Enforcement, Private Investigation,
leased five adventure modules for the game Newspaper Reporting or Criminal careers
(Rick Krebs himself was encouraged to write (players could swap careers midgame if they
material for Dragon magazine as initial sales so wished unless they were a criminal of course
were slow and TSR felt the game needed pro- in which case they were stuck in the
moting) and three packs of miniature figures underworld forever).
were released. Not a whole lot but better than Combat was directly inspired by Jim
nothing. Muscala's 'Bio One' rules (published by TSR in
In 1990 TSR released a second edition (as a 1974 and designed to bring greater realism to
softcover book), mislabeled as a 'New 3rd Edi- gunpowder era combat) and can be very
tion' combining the text of the original with deadly. All injury is measured in Hit Points and
material taken from the adventure modules. is straightforward enough, characters can
Except for minor changes the game mechan- either take 'wounds' or 'bruising' as damage,
ics were identical. one inflicting deadly damage the other not.
There are rules for most guns of the era with

particular attention being paid to such iconic
weapons as the Thompson Submachine gun,
the Browning Automatic Rifle and the Shotgun.
Combat plays well with modifiers applied as
necessary (such as for firing at a moving target)
it all feels very natural and clearly the 'Bio One'
heritage is a good one.
The lights are green folks, however, as to a

new version I don't know if we will ever see one
but I do believe that noted game designer (and
Veteran) Mark Hunt has the rights to the game
(as of 2016) and was planning to bring it back
via Kickstarter (however, as of the time of
writing I don't know if this is still the case or not,
for all I know the Rights may have reverted to
the original creator).
Regardless, Mark has done a great deal of
work for the game (it's clearly a labor of love for
him) and you can obtain much of it (such as his
fabulous NPC cards) from RPG NOW and
DRIVETHRURPG. I heartily applaud his energy
and enthusiasm for Gangbusters, he has done
much to keep the game alive and deserves our
plaudits.
If you take a look you will see that there is
plenty to keep even the most ardent Gang-
buster fanatic going online, sites such as
Above all, Gangbusters was simple, it played Google + seem very active and Rick Krebs
smoothly yet covered a lot of ground (it 'Bloody 20's' site itself is of course well worth a
allowed you to run everything from fistfights look. Clearly the game is not dead, I don't think
and getaways to hectic car chases round the it ever truly went away to be honest, it was
docks at midnight (especially car chases, the always there just bubbling under waiting to
Gangbusters car chase rules are a thing of come back in a hail of bullets.
beauty). If you are a TSR completist this is certainly one
Rick Krebs has been asked many times over for your collection but even if you're not and
the years if he was going to bring back the you're simply looking for a good game
game, however, he turned down the (possibly in a new, hitherto unexplored genre)
opportunity choosing instead to be a caregiver to play of an evening then I would recommend
for his late wife. Rick Krebs is clearly an chasing this one down. Gangbusters is one of
honorable man. the greats of the 1980's and deserves to take it's
He gives his blessing however to anyone place at your RPG table.q
wishing to write for the game stating on his Assistant Editor’s Note: This was one of our
'Bloody 20's' website “I have frequently favorite games to play while stationed in Germany. We
encouraged people to design and to publish had a great campaign going, complete with toy
their GB's modules using Kickstarter, etc. . I have ‘gangster’ cars and props, to acting things out. My NCO
no need for financial remuneration from was the head of our gang, and went by the name Big
anyone's published modules as long as they are Daddy. It’s the first time I ever played a thoroughly
mindful of copyright laws as they apply to the wicked character, who fittingly, went down in a hail of
bullets. Great times -- Barbara Blackburn
game rules and credit the game designers.”

Wild Skies: Europa Tempest
PUBLISHED BY: Wet Ink Games
REVIEW BY: J.L. Duncan
elcome to a review of Wild Skies Europa turtle (and I’m certain we did that), but creating a Kung
W Tempest an action packed anthropomorphic

themed role playing game (RPG), which is
available in softcover, hardcover, and portable document
Fu, butt kicking badger was just as fun (which I did).
Having the choice certainly was worth its weight in D20s.
Wild Skies: Europa Tempest is a complete RPG featur-
format (PDF) at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com. The ing a unique dice system and a distinctive setting. The
book was originally crowdsourced to life via Kickstarter, atmosphere of this RPG is classified as a dieselpunk and
just short of $11k internet bucks. This review concerns the the art does a great job creating that tone. Beneath the
PDF as well as the print version; both were supplied by grit and with a little elbow grease Wild Skies is an
Wet Ink Games free of cost for the purpose of this review. alternate earth setting, which leads up to World War One
Wet Ink Games is a member of the Indie Game Developer and beyond. Anthropomorphic creatures are the norm of
Network (IGDN Site: http://www.igdnonline.com/) a hive a human-less society, though playing it as humans is an
mind of independent creators and publishers, producing option. While the timeline and events of this alternate
a variety of products from pen and paper RPGs, to board world, pretty much mirror human history, it also expounds
and card games. upon that, for its own (RPG) purposes.
Ever since Palladium Books utilized Kevin Eastman’s and Character creation starts with creating a concept and
Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) allocating points for Primary and Secondary Attributes.
comic as a jumping off point for an RPG, I’ve never ceased Each Primary Attribute has two Secondary Attributes.
to have high hopes for anthropomorphic RPGs. TMNT was Players distribute ten points among the primary attributes
the my second experience in this hobby and since I was a and eight among the secondary attributes, with the
fan of the comic, and admittedly even enjoyed the movies caveat none of these can be less than one point. As with
in my youth, it was an easy transition. Though I’ve only any system other abilities are outlined such as Health,
had the opportunity to play a few, similar themed Speed, Range, and the ability to jump etc.
anthropomorphic RPGs have been a mixed bag at my
Next, is selecting an anthropomorphic type, which Wild
table. Admittedly, why a player can get into a game like
Skies offers up forty species and choosing a size. Each
TMNT, and then put their nose up at something like
animal is a unique template defining attribute bonuses
Mouse Guard or Bunnies and Burrows, isn’t beyond my
and abilities, which are specific to the specific anthropo-
comprehension and in my opinion it’s simply a matter of
morphic type. For Instance, if you decide on a turtle the
choice.
character has Defensive Tuck as part of that template;
What’s the fun with an anthropomorphic RPG without while a badger the special ability of: Eat Anything. These
choices? The idea of having character options limited to abilities are exactly as they seem, most of which are plays
only a bunny or only a mouse has limited appeal. This fact on the animal kingdom. If you prefer a bit of randomness
wasn’t missed out on by Palladium Books. TMNT had (I in selecting the anthropomorphic type, there is a table
want to say over 50) a double handful of mutant animals (you roll on) which abides.
you could roll up. Yeah, you could take the role as a ninja
Rounding it out, characters start the game with a Perk As mentioned, the setting is World War One diesel punk,
or special ability and players can select up two additional but that’s only scratching the surface. The discovery of
Perks as long as these are balanced (one to one) with a Vrillium, which is a buoyant lighter than air (fictional) ore,
Quirk. Perks and Quirks are pretty standard RPG stuff and allows the nations of the world to build efficient weapons
there is a decent sized list of each. Players will then select of war and militarize the sky with fast planes and airships.
a nationality and two Careers which offer a template of The first massive air battleship the HIM Dreadnought is
skills. Last is selecting the finishing touches on the char- launched in 1906 and the arms race begins. The Great War
acter and select an affiliation… But, admittedly I’m kicks off in 1914.
skipping all that for better coverage for the unique
experience point and alignment system of Wild Skies, the The timeline covers 30 years of the history of the set-
Moral Compass. We’ll let the game speak for itself here: ting, and is richly described. Certainly, most of it is based
on real world history before, during, and after WWI but it’s
“Wild Skies every character has a Moral Compass
which functions as both a compass rose, showing which an impressive amount of setting detail (almost a third of
personal goals the character can follow, and as a map, the book) and there are plenty a nuggets, which the GM
showing where the character has been. Starting from the will likely build his or her campaign around. The major
center the character will move toward the edge of the difference being the Great War doesn’t end in an agreed
compass after each game session and collect rewards armistice. As with WWI, the setting is built on the involve-
along the way. Thus, the Moral Compass serves as both ment of many nations primarily (Europe) England, France
the alignment system and the experience system of Wild (which is split in two nations), Germany and Russia.
Skies. Combining these elements puts the focus on the Though most of events described are put in past tense
storytelling. The Moral Compass helps determine a and the timeline assumes the campaign starts in 1930’s.
character’s motivations during individual game sessions The detail of the history is such that you could also run it
and guides their story arc over many sessions.” (PG 45) as a plot point campaign within the major events of the
The Moral Compass functions as an alignment system history.
and an experience system. This is a pretty interesting Overall, Wild Skies has a lot of elements I really like. The
concept. The Moral Compass has eight axes points, each art does a really good job of giving the vibe of the setting.
of which is tied together by two opposing concepts, or There is also a mini black and white comic in the middle of
the potential of sixteen character goals/stories to choose the text which I enjoyed. I probably relished the gun and
from. Based on player character’s concept, players will equipment illustrations sections a bit more than is healthy,
create four potential stories they want to tell and design
but nothing sparks the imagination looking over an
their characters Moral Compass. I’ll not give all of them
illustration of a plane, tank or machine gun and the
away, but for instance one of the axes points is Wealth to
imaginings of heroic characters behind the yoke or pulling
Sacrifice. The player character can desire either, based on
the story they want to build and the goals they want to the trigger.
achieve. There were also a few things I thought could have been
Advancing through this system is a matter of the player better presented. The writing in general and especially for
characters earning Plot Points (PP) based on play and the sections covering dice mechanics, are bit verbose.
using these points towards their character goals/desire. What’s written does an adequate job, but it’s not as clean
Once a story is told or a goal is achieved the character (in origination) as some RPGs I’ve read lately, and I’d
receives a reward toward advancing their character. There preferred to have read a bit less. Grammar wise there were
is a bit more to it than this and a healthy treatment of a couple minor mistakes, but nothing all that distracting.
writing and examples which really help flesh it out. But, The print version would have been just a bit better with a
this idea is one which is both unique and awesome. I leave little more white space between the text of the column
my thoughts for the conclusion. and the spine.
The system mechanics of Wild Skies has a few moving Absolutely my favorite aspect was the presentation of
parts. The system isn’t difficult, but the detail of the the Moral Compass, which reverses the idea of characters
writing (when you just want an A,B,& C layout of rules) is acting for the purpose of receiving experience points and
a bit verbose. Basic skill rolls are percentage based, but instead places a guideline which they themselves choose,
each skill has a number of ranks available (in d6s) which for the purpose of advancement.
are tallied onto the original (%) total. A Skill Specialty roll
(a skill which is part of the character’s career) uses the I certainly think this RPG is worthy of your cash. And
standard basic roll, but is further modified by a governing even more so if like this reviewer you enjoyed TMNT or
attribute. The system also incorporates variable levels of After the Bomb in your youth. The amount of character
success or failure based on difficulty. It’s hard to gauge options is admirable, and if I’m reading this right more
without a playtest, but battles over land, sea or (most books involving the nations of the world as supposed to
prominently) air, should be relatively fast and furious. follow. I for one can’t wait to see what comes next. q

Return to the Many
Worlds of Stargate SG-1
Fate is another excellent option for running Stargate SG-1. Back in
2012 Ryan Macklin speculated about StarFate on his website. It
inspired a comments thread that provides good fodder for anyone
interested in pursuing the idea. Roll Your Fate takes the thought
experiment further with a series of posts tagged “Stargate, Powered by
Fate” that looks discusses how to implement the show’s skills and gear
using the Fate.
When you think classic science fiction, you usually think Traveller.
Stargate RPG for Traveller is a PDF that adapts the venerable
system to the SG-1 universe. It features careers and events for human
military characters as well as Jaffa and introduces new life events for
all characters. It also has SG-1 skills, equipment, aliens, technology,
and starship construction rules.
Dead Simple Roleplaying is a one-page RPG aimed at focusing
more on the characters and story and less on the fiddly bits. The author
has written up a ton of setting-specific expansions for the game
including on for Stargate 1895. It posits a world in which the gate
was discovered and activated in the late 19th century. Like the core
here was a time when Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs rules, the setting is a single page of content that sets up the
T dominated my television viewing. The series filled void for

optimistic space opera left by Star Trek and while it had its ups
and downs, the series rarely disappointed.
background and provides the rules for basic character creation.
Gateworld is the definitive fan website for all things Stargate. It
has extensive episode guides for each of the Stargate series and its
It struck me as a great setting for RPGs, what with the mission-a- myriad of movies (both those filmed and un-filmed). Each entry lists
week setup and the galaxies-spanning setting. I bought the Stargate basic facts about the episode (air date, authors, director, guest stars),
SG-1 Role-Playing Game back when it was released as well as the a synopsis of the episode as well as an analysis of what happened in
source books I could get my hands on. The RPG is a hefty tome, filled it, and notes about character development. There’s an omnipedia with
with crunchy rules, lots of tables, and a complex initiative system. It's over 2,000 write-ups on races, ships, characters, planets, and
not as sleek as the base Spycraft game, and it foretold the overly technology as well as an active forum for Stargate fans. Launched in
complex Spycraft 2.0. But it looked great and was packed with awe- Fall 2017, Stargate Command is the new online home for Stargate.
some background material for the setting. Only a handful of books It hosts streams of all of the Stargate TV series and movies as well as
were released: the core rules, splatbooks for Season 1 and 2, and two new online-only series Stargate Origins. The new series is a prequel
source books (Living Gods and Unexplored Worlds). I've held on to that tells the story of Catherine Langford, whose father discovered the
them as reference guides because I enjoy the setting so much. Stargate. The website charges a $20 fee that covers access to the
I’m not the only one. Debriefing: The Stargate SG-1 Roleplay- streams through May 15, 2018.q
ing Game provides an overview of the d20 game and its mechanics,
as well as advice on game play. There’s some fan created material in the
“DM Miscellany” including a system for randomly generating planet DEBRIEFING: THE STARGATE SG-1 ROLEPLAYING GAME
name designations, mental health in the Stargate universe, thoughts http://www.kismetrose.com/sg1/DebriefingIndex.html
on finding inspiration for your game. The d20 game was ultimately too STARGATE: A SAVAGE WORLDS CONVERSION
crunchy for my tastes, and when I thought about initiating my own http://journeymangm.com/2012/07/11/
Stargate mini-revival in the form of an “SG-13” scenario for a local stargate-a-savage-worlds-conversion/
gaming convention, I wanted something fast and furious.
STARFATE: A FATE/STARGATE IDEA
Enter Savage Worlds. I've long thought it'd be a great fit for some http://ryanmacklin.com/2012/06/starfate-idea/
of Stargate's pulpier action scenes and storylines and considered STARGATE, POWERED BY FATE
homebrewing my own version using rules from the Science Fiction
https://rollforyourfate.wordpress.com/tag/stargate/
Companion and The Last Parsec rulebooks. Fortunately I didn’t have
STARGATE RPG FOR TRAVELLER [PDF]
to -- Journeyman GM created his “Stargate: A Savage Worlds
Conversion” PDF that covers SG-1 and its follow-up series, Atlantis http://www.mediafire.com/file/ttmmyj1kmwe/
and Destiny. Although locked at version 0.6 for the last few years, the Stargate+RPG+for+Traveller.pdf
PDF covers the basic rules you need to run a Stargate game. It has rules STARGATE 1895
for handling technology, write-ups on popular alien weaponry, and https://deadsimplerpg.wordpress.com/rules-downloads/
the necessary hindrances and edges you need to create your own crack GATEWORLD
team of humans and Jaffa. https://www.gateworld.net

Armada
by Earnest Cline
understand, but I happened to miss that movie, book, or game, and as

a result missed the joke. But even so, anyone who grew up in the 80s
onward is going to nod their head and chuckle at a lot of the references.
The main failing of this self-referential humor and awareness is that it
overindulges in it, and as a result drains away from the verisimilitude
and excitement that is supposed to be building up.
We can’t take it seriously, because it never takes itself seriously. This
is only worsened by points in the novel that feel cringe worthy to me,
such as the budding romance between Zack and a hotshot hacker/grunt.
It doesn’t come across as real, but like a teen’s idle fantasy about the
kind of rebellious bad girl he’d like to meet.
It’s because of moments like this that I ended up assuming this would
eta, in case you’re not familiar with the term, refers to being turn out to be some kind of Matrix simulation, and the story would end
self-referential within a story. Deadwood, for example, is a without anyone getting killed, but that’s not the case. The problem is,
comic book character knows he is in a comic book, and even when we get to the point where we realize the stakes are high, it’s hard
has conversations with his own narration. The Scream franchise is to actually care about the lives of the people who are in danger. In fact,
specifically about people who already know the rules of slasher movies, you keep expecting another shoe to drop and find out there is some
trying to survive a murderer imitating slasher movies. Being meta in a
other kind of fake-out about to happen. One particular character’s death
story can be handled delicately, or with all the subtlety of a sledge-
feels inevitable due to the conventions of story cliché, but when it
hammer. I don’t have a problem with meta in writing. In fact, the four
novels I’ve published all have meta elements to them, with one having happens there is no weight to it. It doesn’t feel earned. And that’s
it as its central theme. But this month’s novel proves that too much unfortunate.
meta, or delivering too much of it in the wrong way, can hurt your story. And this isn’t helped by the fact that there are various logic holes in
Armada was written by Earnest Cline, who wrote another popular the story that are a mile wide. Some are explained by the story’s finale,
meta-themed novel, Ready Player One, which will be released as a big but if you go on for a hundred pages pointing out how various video
budget movie in 2018. I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I game and science fiction clichés don’t make sense, only to then have
actually did. the story explain why there’s a point to all of that, it doesn’t completely
If you’ve ever seen The Last Starfighter, you’ll get the gist of the excuse it. You’ve kind of figured out the general shape of things early on
plot right away. Young talented kid who’s a wiz at video games learns and the payoff doesn’t deliver as much as it should.
that said games are actually a means of training people to fight an Other plot holes however, aren’t covered by this umbrella. Even when
impending interplanetary war. Along the way, he learns how this war it is, the use of humor to point out obvious plot holes feels more like a
has been building secretly since the computer age, and there is more way of excusing them than explaining. When editing for other authors
going on than initially meets the eye. A great many gamers who love I’ve often pointed out that the more humor you have in a story, the more
space sims (like me) have had their own Last Starfighter fantasies, you can stray from reality and get away with it. But there are limits, and
so you can imagine I was instantly invested in the concept. Zack, our this book stretches them to the breaking point.
hero, is thankfully not your stereotypical geek who is picked on at school.
Ultimately I left this book feeling entertained, but disappointed. It
He has a temper problem, and had gotten in trouble for it more than
once (though he’s not a bully). reads like a Young Adult novel, yet the references in it are clearly aimed
at an older audience than that. It’s not a bad book by any stretch. It just
He’s not on the bottom rung of the social ladder, nor is he at the top. could have been so much better. I will say this about the audiobook
He’s relatable enough, and his conversations with his friends usually version: Wil Wheaton is a very good voice actor, shifting effortlessly
come out as naturally as they would when you’re having a conversation between characters, and he does a mean Yoda impression.
with your own geeky friends. The problem, however, is that this book
simply cannot stop making pop culture references for a single page. I felt For previous book reviews as well as bonus links, please visit:
like I was being quizzed throughout the novel. There were beats where http://www.noahchinnbooks.com
there was clearly some kind of reference being made I was expected to
ACHTUNG! CTHULHU: TERRORS OF THE SECRET WAR
Modiphius Entertainment • www.modiphius.com
errors of the Secret War is a sourcebook for Acthung! Cthulhu

Tanddealing with the biggest and baddest of the Mythos: Outer Gods
Other Gods. The book actually gives advice on introducing these
terrors into the Achtung! Cthulhu campaign and does a great job of
it.
The book first describes a new and simplified mass combat sys-
tem, allowing large numbers of troops into big battles. Then it goes
into numerous Cthulhu Mythos gods, in each case giving some back-
ground information, plot hooks, a short detailed prop letter or story
for each, and information on what each creature can do and how it could possibly be defeated or
banished. A few of the servitor creatures are also described and statted out throughout the book.
Added to that are new uses for shoggoths and a few unconventional weapons of the war described
SEND REVIEW COPIES TO: in detail. A grimoire of numerous spells that could come in handy when combating the mythos is
KODT: BRIAN’S PICKS also included.
309 S. Dilger Ave.
Waukegan, IL 60085 BRIAN’S RATING: A great bestiary finding ways to incorporate gods into scenarios.
CHAOS EARTH: RESURRECTION WAR OF ASHES FATE OF AGAPTUS

Palladium Books, Inc. • www.palladiumbooks.com Evil Hat Productions
www.evilhat.com
C haos Earth: Resurrection is a Rifts
W
Chaos Earth Sourcebook, taking place
ar of Ashes Fate of Agaptus is a
in 2099 right after the rifts appeared on the
world during the terrible apocalypse hun- FATE based role-playing game based
dreds of years before the regular campaign. on the War of Ashes miniatures game and
In this case, one of the rifts that opened setting. The grimsical game could also be
brought forth a zombie apocalypse in Madi- called “Muppets Fantasy the RPG.” This
son, Wisconsin, and the surrounding area. The book gives an inva- world’s in trouble as a new ice age ap-
sion overview, what is causing it, how it is spread, and what the proaches due to the one of the relatively in-
ultimate plans of the invaders are. Information and stats are here competent gods being upset. The book details the four different fuzzy
for several different zombie types. Charts for random encounters, races vying for their place in the world: the Elvorix, Vidaar, Jaarl, and
fortunate discoveries, and the like are also here. The book also de- the Kuld.
scribes NEMA’s (North American Economic Military Alliance) re-
sponse to the incursion. The game master section gives the actual There is a great deal of information on the history of the world and
background and information on the invasion and what is really the four different races. NPCs are fleshed out, as well as creatures of the
going on. The Siege on the Black Obelisk chapter gives information world. Advice on campaign and character creation is here, as well as
on fighting the zombies and taking the fight to the Black Obelisk full rules for running the game in the FATE system. The gods, goofy as
in Madison that seems to be the center of the invasion. Some in- they may be, are described, as is the dangerous magic of the world.
formation on continuity and possible future outbreaks, as well as Information and advice for the GM is also presented. The game is also
tying it to a regular Rifts or Dead Reign game is also included. available at Indie Press Revolution.
BRIAN’S RATING: A zombie apocalypse on Chao Earth? Perfect.
BRIAN’S RATING: I’ve always wondered what kind of barbarian
Cookie Monster would make.
hey -- 36,000
PEEPS -- it
Can’t HURT.
am \ RIGHT?

the PROGNOSIS isn’t newt — the PLASTIC PELLETS
good — you had a SIX pepper the BUG BEAR but
FOOT length of bounce off HARMLESSLY
HALF-INCH conduit from his DUCT-TAPE ARMOR.
THRUST through
your SKULL.
he SNARLS as he swings at
you with a CLUB fashioned
from a BICYCLE CHAIN
SPROCKET affixed to
a HUMAN THIGH BONE!
RUNNING AWAY!!
Tales ago I even started my own game company. It
A Like many gamers I started playing in high would be fair to say that it is all because of
s the subheading indicates, this is a sounding
board where gamers can give their two-cents’ school; just a little here and there. A few of us KODT. Thank you Jolly.
worth on whatever seems to rile them. So pull back the
curtain and come on in the Back Room. You can leave
would get together and play a game or maybe Andy "Cosmo Joe" Watkins 7
that thin skin at the door, but be sure to bring your just goof off for a few hours. No big deal.
opinions with you. Note that due to space limitations And now here we are, good friends. I didn’t
some letters are edited.
Things changed for me when my young know the above story until you told me recently,
Got something to say? We wanna hear it. Just use one mind first read a KODT. It showed gamers
of the following options;
Andy. So glad you decided to return to the table.
really LOVING the game. Gamers getting
^ : Via ONLINE FORUM — Just pop over to together weekly with their heads filled with Game on! — Jolly
www.kenzerco.com and visit our discussion forums.
7 via E-MAIL — Send your strip ideas, reader mail, wonderful and fantastic plans for their
Killer GM
back room fodder and questions to jolly@kenzerco.com. characters. Gamers playing the game and
.: via SNAIL MAIL — Or write to us at KODT c/o having TONS of fun doing it. Really enjoyed issue 249. Weird Pete
KenzerCo, 309 S. Dilger Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085.
I started running games and really enjoyed reminds me of the old school gamemasters
it for a few years. Lots of great memories of from back in the day who lorded over the
KODT 250 late night laughter and fun. table (and their players) as if they were god
I feel very fondly towards Kenzer & Co. As the years went by games took a back almighty. You didn’t back talk and you didn’t
because it was my first real break into game seat to other projects, interests, and obliga- question the GM. And for some reason we
illustration, my comic submissions for the tions.By the time I was in my late 20s gaming went along with it.
magazine, and my first limited issue comics. was a distant, although wonderful, memory.
We had a GM ironically enough called,
Thanks, Jolly for taking a chance on me! I Fast forward a few years later. I am “Petey” who looked a bit like Weird Pete and
also remember when my wife just dropped in cleaning out a closet when I discover a few
he was just as deadly. The rule was you
old Knights of the Dinner Table and
on you guys, and the excitement and passion showed up with a PC and a back up because
Bundles of Trouble. I start reading through
you had while you built the first it was a certainty that you would lose at least
them and I start just laughing my butt off!
Hackmaster game was infectious. Also got one character in a session and he didn’t wait
Just. Hilarious!
to see early designs for Aces & Eights. for you to roll up another one.
KODT reminded me of all the great times
I was so awed and wishing I could work in that my friends and I had at the game table. Been getting a lot of laughs out of the WP
such an environment. (My only regret was not I called up my friends and told them that I was strip and a bit of post traumatic syndrome
actually meeting Jolly).Thank you for going to start running games again. triggering. Keep up the good work.
receiving us and allowing me to work with
Now here I am, over 10 years later, I have
you on HackMaster and KODT. Bill Nystle 7
been running games (about) every week. My
Doug "Dug" Curtis 7 life is filled with fun and gaming. A few years q
READ
KODT
ONLINE!
what’s a matter, BUNKY...?!! facing HARD TIME because you
MISSED the LATEST ISSUE of KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE..?
MAKE hop on over to WWW.KENZERCO.COM. not only can you

SUBSCRIBE but you can pick up BACK ISSUES (both digital
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BAIL!!
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KISS THE FISH!!!
The BABY
SITTING
MAGICIAN
Serving the
Muncie Area
-Summon-
me today!!
mark your
Calendars --
no worries, hoss. KENZERCO
will be appearing
you can SUBSCRIBE to at the following
KODT and load up on BACK conventions in
ISSUES and other KENZERCO
products at www.kenzerco.com. 2018
TO BE ANNOUNCED
HROOO!!
WEIRD PETE’S BULLETIN BOARD

is a meeting place where readers may pass along information, barter, trade and gossip. Readers are invited to place classified ads, announce group meetings, seek out other players,
etc. Subscribers of KODT may place classified ads free of charge with a limit of one ad per issue and a maximum of twenty-five words. Non-Subscribers may place ads at the rate of
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really...? this DUNGEON has VALET SERVICE...?
so how much do they charge to

stable, feed and brush down a horse...?
dangle that carrot

1 gold piece. wow - that price any harder, son
seems REALLY fair. and it’s gonna
but the sign CLEARLY come off the string.
points out they are not what a GREAT IDEA.
responsible for LOST
ITEMS and/or MOUNTS.
Gut-Punching Mayhem in Small Doses
HOODY FRICKIN’ HOO¡¡¡

-sigh- okay — morons — but
you manage to I FEAST ON you DIED too!!!
reach across the WE WON¡¡¡ BRIAN’S E-PEES we ALL DID!!
front of BRIAN’s
power suit and AND DINE ON
PUSH his PERSONAL WE FINALLY HIS FAILURE¡¡
NUKE button BEAT THE FAT HEAD¡¡
without him
noticing.
\ find myself strangely ATTRACTED to

your MINI, sara. \ never REALIZED happiness is a TPK prompted
your character was so SMOKIN’ HOT!! by a player’s STUPID ACTION.
um... thanks, dave. all of the SWEET SATISFACTION of PLAYER

she’s NOT. TEARS without the BLOW BACK of a
\ think. TABLE FLIP or a SHREDDED GM SCREEN.
\ just PAINTED
her that way.

HEY MAN.
CHECK IT OUT.
WE PAY FOR
CARTOONS¡¡

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Knights of The Dinner Table 250

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Bundle of Trouble vol.

The Untouchable Trio +1 returns to

The Return to Meatgrinder Rock

5 Table Talk: Letters Page

60 48 All Things Magic

Gaming the 59 Brian’s Picks

2 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

PUBLISHER Kenzer and Company

Subscriptions: A standard 12-issue monthly subscription is only

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 3

4 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

you should be focused on your OWN STREET. this is YOUR turf.

sir, the PLAYER BILL OF RIGHTS state that “no

GAMES PIT: pete’s one-off adventure, “NEIGHBORHOOD

are you SURE...?!! we don’t want him

hey, LLOYD — yer back. well — it just didn’t feel right —

* See KODT #227: Half Ogres. Featured in Rustlers of the Night.

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 7

LLOYD — you and no — not on THIS trip! we need more ABLE

they‘re too far out and we’re throwin’ the

8 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

mr. jackson, those poor animals

while the if we keep

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 9

shirtless with his NASCAR CAP turned BRIM seconds later...

lemme see some

\’ll SLOW him those who make it -

10 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

don’t SHIRK it. \’m the

WILY BASTARD — he just PLAYED us.

HE’S MAKIN’ AN END RUN!!

um..., heroic sacrifice...?

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 11

M-MR BERLIN — \ see

and \’m BURNIN’ a \ ATTACK GARY. \’m attempting to LOCK JAWS

NOW..?!! c’mon - just give good boy,

um, yeah — here’s a NUMBER for you. and MISS FELTON —

from the SLUG

12 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

the LEFT FRONT soon as the BUS is

pete, \ CALL IN the ONE-ARMED ORGRON standin’ astride

throwin’ the BUS in PARK — \ tell the

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 13

okay — so of -sigh- so THAT’s pete’s game,

14 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

you HEARING me...?!!!

well that’s interesting. this game — it’s a CRIME NATION

150 fully fleshed out NPC character sheets —

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 15

later as the INTERVIEW PROCESS unfolds...

one draw later... pete RULED we couldn’t

16 Knights of the Dinner Table® #250

maybe he’ll at you gotta be kidding me. get this...

sure — but FAT GOOD it does us. okay, boys — change

pete wouldn’t so...? TANK CREWS \ did not know

\ can’t believe it.

GLORIOUS — who would’ve don’t you just

^ “if you’d listened to ME we’d be up to our EYEBROWS in KOBOLD

Knights of the Dinner Table® #250 17