GYGAX 75: Week 4 TOWN FEATURES & THE FACETS OF CHROMANITY

 

The facets of chromanity

For week 4, which I am behind on, I have pushed the Gygax 75 goals to the bottom of the post because I want to focus more on a related but more important topic-- the people who inhabit the towns.

THE TRUTHS OF CHROMANITY

Much of how and why chromanity is here on V'COSA was hidden by the Serpent Empire, lost to time, and swallowed with the world-cracking arrival/departure of Shudde M'ell in the same instant. But this is what is known about chromanity. 

The Serpent Empire viewed chromanity the way IRL humans had fancy mice for pets then those strains were later developed into experimental models for research. As such, the Serpent Empire developed chromanity in three known ways:

• Chromanity organs can enhance magic derived from the Gods on V'COSA or the Gods outside of V'COSA, not the Gods above V'COSA. The Serpent Empire started with Crimson, Xanthic, & Cerulean and the rest arose from there-- or that is how those three groups tell it.
• Only Jale buildings are found dotting the landscape, some say they are the AI
• Writing from the past note that the Dolm people where appetizing to the Serpents
• Chromanity's blood is blue because it lacks iron and is nickel-copper based, which further enhances the conduction of magic. 
• The Ulfire people can practice magic but their organs nor blood seem to enhance it
• Chromanity lays eggs, because the Serpent Empire found that convenient and less messy.
• This is not true of the Viridian

THE QUIRKS OF CHROMANITY

There are also other differences of V'COSA's chromanity that are gifts from the gods or holdover from Serpent Empire experiments:

• Cerulean can secret an adhesive that is particularly good a binding the sands of V'COSA and can unhinge their jaw to accommodate large amounts
• Crimson settlements always have a doppelganger town somewhere else; the citizens feel each other in their dreams
• Vermillion exhibit a dimorphism where some of their numbers will grow to 8-9 ft and are judged to be god-appointed ruler
• Viridian have 1-in-6 of their children develop the traits of animals; children are treated no different
• Indigo are referred to as "Sudo" by AI and accept Indigo requests (but not commands) more favorably; all scans by AI lead to the same reference with an expired pass command
• Xanthic blood ignites in a green flame on contact with air and urine the same on contact with water

THE FACETED PROCESSION: The Holy Walk

All of chromanity, save for the Vantanic Union and the Ulfire Seers, are united in building the Divine Chime. An effort of multi-generations and countless resources. But given the scattered disposition of the settles of V'COSA, chromanity developed a traveling "church" of sorts to gather tithing from those afar. There is more than one procession at a time, but the exact number is thought to not be known.

Each procession consists of 100 individuals. 16 from each of the hues of chromanity and 4 mirror-masked leaders clade in white. The mirror reflects that faces of chromanity back on itself to remind everyone why the work is being undertaken-- to awake the gods for the good of all. Also at least one mirror-masked leader carries an "eye of judgment" a device that calls on the judgment from the Gods Above V'COSA.

Crossing ways with the Holy Procession requires a few things:

• Tithe (10% of XP in coin or 1 piece of AI machinery or 2 power cells)
• Reaffirmation of faith (reskinned carousing)
• Act of Service if the Tithe could not be met (sorta geas)

Additionally the faceted procession functions as a moving source of:

• Law (material & philosophically)
• Magic from the Gods Above V'COSA (help with healing/restoration)
• Weapons/Armor/Equipment (always high end and expensive)
• Potential Information
• Factional engagement (moves can be made here)

V'COSA TOWNS

A central goal of week 4 of the G75 Challenge is the creation of a town.

Honestly, making a bunch of locations for V'COSA is very easy with "Settlement" tables in the Vaults of Vaarn SRD and the very amazing Vaarn Atlas. And really if I wanted a big city map for use, then yeah I'd just go with Gnomon from Vaults of Vaarn Vol 2.

And all of those links will carry you to information to create everything else outlined in Week IV of the Gygax 75 Challenge.

GYGAX 75: Week 3 THE DUNGEON

 

Gygax 75: Week 2 SURROUNDING AREA

In keeping on-brand for this challenge, I am repurposing or recycling things rather than creating things whole cloth. So instead of running separate campaigns for Barrens of Carcosa, Ultra Violet Grasslands, Valts of Vaarn, and Tomb Robbers of the Crystal Frontier, I am going to try to fold each into a single campaign using Vaarn as a base: V'COSA

For the week 3 requirement, I am going to re-edit a previous effort at a BX megadungeon for OSE. Initially, my goal was to create a six level megadungeon that incorporate 90% of BX material that also attempted to bring some high-level decision-making down into the lower levels of play. I also wanted to showcase BX magic items and monsters in a new light.

I've gotten as far as an outline for each level and had begun keying a map from Dyson. However, I felt like I hit a creative block. But I think applying a V'COSA bent to the dungeon has re-invigorated some creative energy and I think it's most likely good that I combine both. 

We will place this keep at E8 and let's use the Vaults of Vaarn tables to generate its past & present. We need a snappy name for it, but that can come later. Each section below represents a summary of each level, major NPCs, what they want, how the levels are connected, and maybe a 1d6 wandering monster table.

THE JALE KEEP

LEVEL ONE- The Seat of Amber Judgement

Three entrances to roughly 3 non-overlapping areas. The introduction of a memetic malevolent force, THE EGG.

• The royal entourage of Princess Vass (left entrance, virmillion; re-skinned Neanderthals which are always led by one 6HD leader! So, Vass is ~half-giant) has made camp. In search of wyrms to slay, the princess has become obsessed with an egg-like jewel in the front door, pried it out, and now has fallen into an ill-temper with fits of rage and murder. Her suitors have broken into two camps: loyalist who will not betry her and rebels those who now want to murder her to settle a fresh grudge.
• The Amber Judgment (center entrance) several amber statues in this cave system mark the presence of a medusa and her blind seer. The medusa, viridian, has had their head encased in parasitic nano-tech resulting gold eyes, faceted like an insect, and metal snake-like hair. Can turn beings into amber and considered by locals to be a demi-god of judgement. There is also an oracle who is involve in a game of fates with another seer deeper in the dungeon complex (Level 4). The oracle can also (1) divine the position of the gods (2) provide a descriptions of treature in the dungeon.
• Den of Thieves Right entrance, multi-chromatic smugglers are prepping for a trip down river to join an earlier band who left 1 week ago (Level 3). However, preparation has been delayed by an O.G.R.E. occupying the area, love sick for Princess Vass, and causing delays. Smugglers will bargain with PCs for ogre removal, hire them as extra muscle against down-river forces, or sacrifice them later (OR maybe they are a cult who have also become obsessed with THE EGG).

LEVEL TWO- The Halls of the Talking Gods

Older part of this fortress. This portion was a temple to gods on V'COSA as opposed to those above V'COSA. Several statues depict large jale bodies, but with confusing animal heads (three jawed wolf or 3 intertwined snakes, or 7 eyed tiger with a tongue of centipedes). A brass bowl near each statue will allow for burnt offering to be performed and boon to be gained. One room will have more normal statues depicting what items they like. One room will contain “living” statues of the gods, writhing in pain,  with their heads removed-- and dragged into deeper levels-- a sacrifice to THE EGG.

LEVEL THREE- The Court of the Singing Queen

This level features the other half of the chromantic bandits (Level 1, right entrance) whose leaders have fallen under the thrall of a harpy- another chromantic paracitized by nanotech. An complication is the ulfire MU summoned a beholder kin who guards the treasure the bandits were trying to amass, but the MU was killed. Now the bandits don’t know what to do, want the treasure, and hate their harpy "queen". Might be willing to deal with the PCs. Also the tomb of a former gith resides here along with tech from the astral fortresses that exsist above V'COSA.

LEVEL FOUR- Orrery of the False Minotaurs

Six individuals from the jale civilization that made Level 2 each wearing a magic helm created by THE EGG. Each helm looks like a triceratops skull produced by HR Giger and each helm represents a planet. In room #419, one minotaur (The oracle) casts a tiny figurines (Figurines of Wondrous Power?) each, representing the PCs, on a stone floor , representing the influence of the planets (the other Minotaurs). If PCs are killed/captured by a Minotaur in their respective “territories”, it impacts the rest of the party. If players take the helmets they risk coming under the influence of THE EGG. This oracle is in competition with the oracle on Level 1.

I will admit how I am going to make this level work will need to be decided, but I think the idea is cool enough it will be worth the effort.

LEVEL FIVE- Gestation of the Ghroth Wolves

Level is an old serpent empire trading post given the geometries that make up these sections. Here is where THE EGG landed when it fell from the sky (left most star on the map). It endlessly sheds itself leaving hollow copies that believe they are the true EGG (small stars on the map). Hollow Copies seeks to engulf and seal up PCs. If successful the PC is rebirthed as a warlord of Ghroth (some specific powers) that only gains XP when accomplishes THE EGG’s desires. Obtaining any helm from LEVEL FOUR is one goal. Some such weaker warlords exist on the level too paranoid or weakened to leave, but envious of new ones-- some talk, some fight, some scheme. Maybe each has a small stone embedded in their head (re-skinned Rod of Seven Parts) which can be collected.

LEVEL SIX- The Last Astral Pilot

Level features a large multi-columned hall.  Resting place of an Astral Pilot, wrapped in fine gaussemer wraps (re-skinned mummy or wraith, HD6+1, few other changes but with Gith overtones). Trapped here by accident when THE EGG landed as it disrupted phasing ability. Level also features wights which are former “crew” and other hapless turned adventures. Hall is actually an astral ship that can be re-activated provided the PCs have enough AI and vantanic assistance.

GYGAX 75: Week 2 SURROUNDING AREA

Gygax 75 Challenge Week 2

Week 1 

Alright so first a map. I think from reading two of my inspirational sources Vaults of Vaarn and Barrens of Carcosa and looking over some past ruined land G75's, its clear that a desert landscape is a major mood.

For my map, I wanted to do something a little different, so instead of the vast cerulean sands of Vaarn I decided to go with plateaus that flank a fungal jungle (hey...) around a glittering azure river.

FEATURES of the MAP (highlights just for my sake)

Plateaus: This allows me to place a lot of chromanity towns on those plateaus and it provides a rationale for why they are able to defend themselves from a lot of the threats of V'COSA with more limited resources.

River: Water is always a solid resource, allows "fast travel" down (and more slowly) up the map, and also is a contained biome that allows the insertion of some aquatic variety. 

We can also place some merchant factions associated with the river. Maybe one group only goes down river and one group transports goods back up?

It was pointed out to me that the map also contains two good points for dams. I think that would be a great source of energy in the region. Maybe controlled by an AI faction who barters power cells and re-charges ray-guns.

Fungal Jungle: If the plateaus were safe and river easy to access it might be a rather boring heaxcrawl. So the fungal jungle is there to dial up the danger. And because its dangerous, chomanity towns might deal with a heterogeneous group willing to risk their own lives to pull stuff out of it.

It will also help isolate areas like the dams which might have important and/or high-powered items. So yes a player finds a ray-gun, but chooses to save it for special occasions because getting to the dams is a pain.

And fungus because it allows organo-mechanic imagery to be used and as well as the fungus people from Vaults of Vaarn. And maybe chromanity also has a bit of a taboo against going there because often those who die there come back changed. The jungle captures their soul and puts it in a body.

Map made with the fantastic Hex Kit.

POINTS OF INTEREST ON THE MAP

Let's cheat again. I could sit down and write a lot of novel stuff for the G75 requirements above and the 6 x 12 hexes I have. Or, I could just comb through the material I already own for interesting bits and use those. 

What makes interesting material? Its comes down I think to PC choice. Does the encounter in the hex allow the players to make a decision? If so, then it is a good thing to place.  I also think the triggering effect shouldn't be random or so specific that it will never come up. I don't have the time anymore for "empty" hexes. My RPG playtime is one 2-4 hour session per week, so I'd rather have too much happen per session than to little. This also drives interest in keeping the game going.

But at the same time its okay to be restrictive to something the PCs can obtain either in-game or via character generation. So, the effect is triggered by specific facets of chromanity, AI-PCs, certain classes, or in-game objects like Serpent keys. Objects like shrines where you perform an action "at" is also good.

Another good class of hex encounters are those linked to the passage of time. Something often ignored in RPGs. I am looking for one-time events that trigger after a few days/weeks and a few periodic events that occur over and over.

I'll start by combing through Barrens (⌚︎ indicates a timed event):

1. Edible fungus in the jungle is lime green 6" high but must be cooked to derive healing
2. The shallow stone basin contains green stone with geas in serpent tongue; guarded by transparent ooze
3. Lair of the Logician: dome marks a 400' shaft to a giant floating brain; under its tutelage gain +1 INT or fail a save and fall into despair
4. Osseous Circle: 300' radius of bones around a statue; stepping within the circle causes a god to smite anything organic
5. Fungus Business: Fungus that wants to eat humanoids, but turns their skeletons into value metals as a by-product
6. Sentient Crystalline Patch: Intelligent, impervious, will seem inert to anyone with less than 18 INT; can turn organic beings into living crystal
7. Knights of Annihilation: Vantanic citadel with powerful weapons cache below; dreams of occupying a Gith fortress
8. Tormancean Spray: Veridian camp. Four marble walls enclose a garden to a lost god; the flowers within make a strong and highly addictive narcotic that can entrance almost all.
9. Byakhee lair: Twist tower of metal beams (old skyscraper?); 4:6 chance the creatures will attack
10. Ohnikosno: Crimson town (592/148 F0). Worship a node of darkness deep in the cave.
11. Shrine: Indigo brigands (F3). Alter sacrifice delivers scorpion mounts from gods-above. Rituals can be read by any MU as its inscribed on the alter.
12. Lone Love: Mosolium (old cloning pod) contains a Xanthic woman decorated with beautiful ruby & gold necklace (8000 GP).  Opening the pod to retrieve the necklace will destroy the body and draw the ire of a Crimson sorcerer who will track the looters (this I've altered from the original).
13. Cubic Castle: Viridian keep (16) 100 X 100 X 100 foot cube. Keep of MU Mawiza a ooze & slime wizard.
14. Faceless Shrine: Contemplative monstrosity is the shrine's lone "monk". Not aggressive unless it or the shrine are attacked. Can give directions to points around it.
15. Bajasla: Vermillion keep (816/204 F0). Crumbling edifice of an Ulfire sorcerer. The words INCOMING have appeared on a screen in Ulfire. A meteor from the moon Ghoroth will strike the keep in 10 days obliterating it. Chaji the ruler of the keep is friendly, but cautious, to all. ⌚︎
16. Egg of Cuult: A black egg encased in pure crystal sits in the center of a group of Cerulean and other bodies covered in bio-mechanoid parts. The egg bestows CON 18, but after 9 nights of terrible dreams, those monstrosities will break out of the dreams an attack the PCs. Save vs. Spells to give up control of the egg.
17. Occupied Shrine: Living god if reduced to 5 HP will bargin for life. PCs chose: 2,222 GP or learn glassee spell. On of the other villages worship this being.
18. Purple Worm Shoal (D3): Substances in the sand are narcotic to the worms. Searching the grounds risks a 1:6 attack, but 2d6 treasures of precious metal ingots or gems (ray-gun worthy).
19. Shrine of the Shark-jawed Frog: Cerulean keep (1368/342). Shrine will spawn 100 3' killer-frogs which will decimate keep in 14 days. All the keep has received the same proficy "Destroy the keep" but leaders differ on which keep. "Frogs" are more slaad-like, will trigger the descent of Gith hunting parties. ⌚︎
20. Lair of the Razor Sphere: Gem studded antinne signals the entrance to a chamber with a brain in a jar. The chamer contains a sphere of razor blades which can disect a MU and impart a random spell into their brain. Non-MUs are just shreadded; only good once.
21. Dulaja: Xanthic town (679/169 F0). Worth the purple worms in D3 and will not hesitate to capture a person for sacrifice to them. Drapped in precious metals & gems from harvesting. Each home has serpent tongue carving useful for magic and other serpent-related topics.

Twenty-one things feels like a good start. I might also try to create a table to spell/ritual components to help go with everthing to also fill in the hexes. There is more left in Barrens I just didn't want to write the whole thing out. Also Save vs. Total Party Kill has this Carcosa generator which I can use to generate ideas for hexes.

MAIN DUNGEON (E8)

I actually previous had started on a six-level dungeon based on a Dyson map that really intersted me. I was trying to initally keep it mostly based on the OSE classic tome. Sorta an attempt to show with just the basics, you can really generate some amazing stuff.

But with this Gygax 75 Challenge, I might pivot that dungeon into here which won't really change things all that much. And in fact might be more instructive because I can (hopefully) demonstrate and annotate my thought process.

GYGAX 75: Week 1 CONCEPT

 

Dungeons & Possums raised the flag on the Gygax 75 Challenge on Twitter. This is a method by which Gygax outlined the creation of a campaign setting in 5 weeks. 

The Otus guided workbook for the whole thing is awesome!

Dungeons & Possums outlines the reasons over here and I pretty much agree with them all: 

• I do pretty well when given a direction to focus my energies, especially if the schedule is relaxed.
• I find the older dungeon-centric campaigns charming and fruitful, and sort of nostalgic and cozy.
• I thought it’d be neat to have a reason to make something like this.
• I will have an excuse to make a silly PDF or something like that to give away.

As I said on Twitter, if I was a great judge I would do a concept with Mothership or Call of Cthulhu. But I am a good judge so I might stick with BX D&D. I've already done something like this in my "cleric campaign", but it will be interesting to do it from the start. I've also always wanted to run The Barrens of Carcosa and I like the way Vaults of Vaarn present all the materials needed therein-- tables that flesh out a world. 

But I will admit that give Anne's excellent overview of the Gygax 75 Challenge, "dying sci-fi world" is hardly novel. But neither is "fantasy adventure setting" so once again I reach a conclusion that play in a world is more important than novelty of said world.

V'COSA

PITCH

• V'COSA has been wracked by centuries of mistreatment. The serpent empire brought chromanity here and cracked the earth with arcane hubris. Strange minds, bereft of bodies, arrived through tears in the horizon and occupied whole cities. Divine emissaries came to the land, but even those titanic heralds fell into despair at the sin of its peoples and went silent to their platinum congregations. In the recent decades, the night glitters with Gith hard-light cannons and their fallen crystal fortresses poison the exhausted land.
• Multi-hued chromanity seeks to restore their connection with the old gods. And endeavors to build the Divine Chime which will signal chromanity's readiness to return to Grace and be delivered from the purgatory of V'COSA.
• New-beasts and the mutated view themselves as rightful heirs of V'COSA as the children of this wrecked land. They seek to unite the cities and throw off the heavy hand and judgment of chromanity. Knowledge should be gathered so the land can be born again.
• The Platinum Congregation, the caretakers of the divine emissaries, now curse the idiot gods above. They long for purpose. Some seek refuge on the crystal fortresses. Others seek to bring back the Founders- the progenitors to chromanity before the serpent empire. Some want to restore the exhausted sun.
• V'COSA will be a sci-fantasy RPG focused mainly on hexcrawling azure sands under a pale green sky. A key component will be negotiating the insular communities dotting the land each with a primary problem. The central question for the players will be, "What do 

INSPIRATION

The recently purchased Vaults of Vaarn. But I also have Ultra Violet Grasslands and The Barrens of Carcosa that I have wanted to use. As well as having some great experiences with Lair of the Lamb which always felt to me like a sorta phantasmagoric Swords & Sworcery bent.

I am also a big fan of the new Prophet run which depicts a fallen earth empire built on mutating and genetically engineering clones of almost the same one human to fill all manner of niches from organic transport ships to centepede-like building machines.

Gus L.'s Crystal Frontier adventures especially Broken Bastion.

Books: Book of the New Sun, Fighting-Man of Mars, Elder Being, Gun With Occasional Music, Dorohedoro