An Unlicensed Fan-Hack Has Been Nominated for Three ENnies.

The nominees for the 2015 ENnies Awards have been posted and I can't say that I'm surprised by many of the names appearing. D&D 5e appears in several categories and will likely win all of them. Zak Smith's A Red and Pleasant Land has four nominations and should win all of them.

But one very surprising nominee is the Mass Effect FATE game. "What Mass Effect game?" you might ask, not recalling the release of a game using such a hugely popular property. You wouldn't have remembered this huge release because it didn't happen. The Mass Effect game that hold three ENnies nominations is an unlicensed fan hack. 

I have no problems with people taking one cool thing and finding a way to make it work at the game table. I especially like it when they make it nice and polished and then give it away for free. (And of course they have to give it away because they don't own the property.) This DIY spirit is what makes RPGs such a fun hobby. But one of the most prestigious awards in the industry is not the place for fan hacks, even the best of them. 

The Mass Effect FATE RPG has been nominated for Best Free Product, Best Electronic Product, and (in what can only be seen as a slap in the face to anyone working with original IP) Product of the Year. For every one of those nominations, a wholly original or officially licenced game was excluded.

This is a low point for the ENnies. My past gripes with the award have been that the nominated products have been boring or substandard, but this is something else altogether. Nominating the hack for an award legitimizes it as a "real RPG product," which it certainly is not. It should never have been submitted for consideration and the judges should definitely have removed it from the running. But there it is, possibly about to become the defining RPG product of 2015. 

Best case scenario, the hack will go unnoticed by the voting public and the ENnies will enact stricter submission guidelines. Worst case, the creator of the hack will get a C&D letter from Electronic Arts and the ENnies will loose all credibility from here on out.

UPDATE: The ENnies have done the right thing and disqualified the Mass Effect game. The game has also been removed from its own site, which make me think that the author is either having a tantrum or has been contacted by owners of the Mass Effect IP.

On Tieflings and Their Horns

In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Deuteronomy 33:17

torvenius.deviantart.com

It is no mystery that at the tiefling race is born from the unholy union of man and demon, although the specific nature of that union may never be uncovered by mortal scholars. Just as the race of man manifests itself in a multitude of skin tones, so does the tiefling race find diversity in the many shapes and characteristic of their horns. Just as legions of different demons bring pestilence to the earth, so are there differences in the physical features of this infernal race. 

Parentage has no bearing on the type of horns that a tiefling will grow. If anything influences the growth of these horns, it is the stars or the flippant will of dark gods. 

Each type of horn imbues a different set of abilities upon the tiefling in the form of its Infernal Legacy spells. The spells on the following tables replace those that appear in the Players Handbook. 

torvenius.deviantart.com

d12	Horn Manifestation	Infernal Legacy Spells
1	Short and blunt, like that of a young goat.	First level: Thaumaturgy cantrip. third level: Hellish Rebuke; fifth level: Darkness
2	Large, long and sharp, like that of a great steer.	First level: Prestidigitation cantrip. third level: Protection from Evil and Good; fifth level: Hold Person
3	Thick and curving backwards, like that of a ram.	First level: Guidance cantrip. third level: Longstrider; fifth level: Beast Sense
4	Tall, many-pronged antlers, like that of an elk.	First level: Druidcraft cantrip. third level: Speak with Animals; fifth level: Pass without Trace
5	Long and tall, spiraling widely like that of an antelope.	First level: Dancing Lights cantrip. third level: Color Spray; fifth level: Mirror Image
6	Smooth, stout and sharp, like that of a bull.	First level: Blade Ward cantrip. third level: Armor of Agathys; fifth level: Hold Person
7	Long and tightly ridged, like that of a gazelle.	First level: True Strike cantrip. third level: Expeditious Retreat; Fifth level: Blur
8	Thick at the skull, swooping downwards and up again, like that of the musk ox.	First level: Thaumaturgy cantrip. third level: Sanctuary; fifth level: Zone of Truth
9	Large, pointing forward with deadly sharp points, like that of the auroch.	First level: Spare the Dying cantrip. third level: Command; fifth level: Silence
10	Spiraling wildly and at uneven lengths, like that of the chimera and the monstrous.	First level: Eldritch Blast cantrip. third level: Hex; fifth level: Crown of Madness
11	Long and rough, curling in on themselves many times over, like that of the Sun Goat.	First level: Thaumaturgy cantrip. third level: Cure Wounds; fifth level: Spiritual Weapon
12	Made of gnarly ironwood, like the branches of a cursed tree.	First level: Mage Hand cantrip. third level: Unseen Servant; fifth level: Spider Climb

An avatar of the Sun Goat.

iumazark.deviantart.com

eoghankerrigan.deviantart.com

tahra.deviantart.com

They Know!

Whenever a character partakes in a psychoactive intoxicant for recreational purposes within civilized space, roll a d12. The is a one in twelve chance that the character will be consumed by an overwhelming sense of dread and paranoia. They will believe that a mysterious but malevolent authority is now aware of their activity. There is a one in twelve chance that the player is correct.

The mind-killers are a race of psychic creatures that feed of a cocktail of hormones and narcotic residue within the adrenal medulla. To find their prey, the mind-killers make use of a psychic network that connects most civilized worlds. A person partaking in a illicit substance is like a beacon to the mind-killers. A bell signalling lunch. 

In order to properly marinate their victim, the mind-killers will transmit a signal to the of extreme paranoia while the creature's semi-physical bodies travel to their prey. This may take a matter of hours in major megalopolises but can take several weeks if space travel is required. Once the mind-killers find the victim, their campaign of terror will escalate. They will use their ability to shapeshift to pose as the local authority figures in order to harass their target. They will also appear as horrifying visions when their victim is alone, attempting to drive their meal to the brink of insanity. Once the character has completely lost themselves to fear the mind-killers will strike.

Mind-killers usually travel in packs of 1d4. They are able to take any form they so please although they cannot correctly replicate matter denser than hard leather. They are also able to phase through matter, become invisible and travel at close-to-light speeds. They are psychic in nature and can detect any sentient life within 10 miles. The creatures are able to flood any sentient mind with fear if the will of the victim is not strong enough. Mind killers can be killed if any part of their body is severed while they are in a physical form. While in physical form they have the states of a generic 2HD creature but can turn incorporeal in an instant if they are aware of an attack. Strong psychic or magical attacks can harm the creatures regardless of their form. 

Magic Item: The Shewstone of John Dee

This shewstone, also known as a crystal ball, was once owned by the famous occultist John Dee. It appears to be a perfect sphere of clear, polished crystal, and in the center of the crystal is presumably a fragment of curved stone, brown and rough in texture, resembling the carapace of a great spider. The shewstone is always cold to the touch. It was with this stone that Dee and his scryer Edward Kelly famously made contact with celestial entities and received messages from beyond this world.

The shewstone is essential useless without a copy of Dee’s grimoire entitled “A Treatise on the First Language of God-Christ,” which serves as a dictionary and guide to the grammar of the Enochian language, the tongue spoken by the celestials. Copies of this grimoire are excessively rare but may be purchased from shady book dealers, or found in the libraries of wealthy magic-users or collectors of the unusual. Magic-Users with an Intelligence score of 15 or more can make a Language skill check to already be fluent in Enochian.

To use the shewstone scryer must stare intently into the stone and make a saving throw against Magic Devices. If this saving throw is a failure, the scryer will experience nothing, but if it is a success the scryer will enter a trance and receive a message from the extra-dimensional entities. A second party must be present to record the Enochian words uttered by the scryer has he will have no memory of the message upon leaving the trance. The meaning of the utterances must then be translated from Enochian into an understood language.

The nature of the message is dictated by the scryer making saving throws against Magic Devices. These saving throws must be made by the Referee in secret. Each word requires a separate saving throw against Magic Devices and the number of words received is limited to the scryer’s level + Wisdom modifier. The scryer must state how many words they wish to receive before using the shewstone.

A successful saving throw will provide the scryer with a single useful word related to their current situation. This word can a simple clue or nudge towards treasure or survival. A failed save will result in a random word or a deliberately deceitful word that will put the party in danger or contradict the most reasonable course of action. Rolling a 1 on the saving throw will result in the permanent loss of 2d4 points from the scryer’s Intelligence score.

It should be noted that using the shewstone does not result in a conversation between the scryer and the extra-dimensional entities and so asking the shewstone a specific question will unlikely result in a direct answer, even if the resulting message is somehow helpful. In truth, the scryer is simply overhearing the whispers of these entities as they reverberate through the universe. Using the shewstone multiple times will bring the scryer to the attention of these entities, who can be exceedingly wrathful against any violation of natural order.

If the scryer could remember anything of their celestial vision, it would look a bit like this.

It is vital that all saving throws regarding the shewstone be rolled in secret by the Referee. The resulting words, helpful or not, should be given to the players in random order only after the scrying session is over.

Below is a table of words that can used when selecting random results for failed saving throws. It may also be in the best interest of any Referee to also consult this table for any helpful words in case one of the players should also have a copy of this book.

00-01 Division

02-03 Burn

04-05 Morningstar

06-07 Beauty

08-09 Darkness

10-11 Hellfire

12-13 Banish

14-15 Choke

16-17 Candle

18-19 Venus

20-21 Triumphant

22-23 Paradise

24-25 Transform

26-27 Harlot

28-29 Beast

30-31 Kingdom

32-33 Death

34-35 Attack

36-37 Earth

38-39 Daughter

40-41 Deception

42-43 Light

44-45 Diamond

46-47 Worm

48-49 Guardian

50-51 Obedience

52-53 Silence

54-55 Face

56-57 Air

58-59 Fire

60-61 Mountain

62-63 Ocean

64-65 Skull

66-67 Magus

68-69 Mars

70-71 Gathering

72-73 Judgement

74-75 Sword

76-77 Mercury

78-79 Conqueror

80-81 Aether

82-83 Torch

84-85 Lucifer

86-87 Millstone

88-89 Water

90-91 Babylon

92-93 Remember

94-95 Voice

97-97 Sleep

98-99 Wings

The Harmal Consortium: A Faction for Narcosmos

The Harmal Consortium is the galaxy's leading developer of virtual narcotics. The latest model of their Enhanced Sensory Experience System (ESES) has sold 420 billion units across twenty-three star systems.

The system interfaces with many popular virtual reality devices with neuro-inputs allowing users to safely experience the effects of psychoactive and narcotic substances from across the known universe without any danger to their bodies or minds. The drugs are sold as individual, single-use programs called Drug Immersion Memetic Experiences, or DIMEs, and are priced relative to market demand and the intensity of the program.

The Harmal Consortium is always seeking new and exotic substances from across the galaxy to be added to their catalog and will pay handsomely for samples of any undocumented psychoactive substances. Intergalactic explorers can register with the Consortium to receive a substance testing device, which will match any samples against the company's catalog. The device will only provide a yes or no answer regarding the Consortium's willingness to pay for the sample. It will not identify the sample or provide any information about the chemical make-up. It should be noted that the contract signed to receive this device stipulates that any sample of interest scanned must be turned over to the Consortium. A quantum beacon notifies local Harmal offices of newly discovered substances and any undelivered samples will be collected by force if necessary.

There are whispers of a secret group within the Harmal Consortium who have adopted a religious twist to their profession. The group believes that the ESES is a sacred device and that the perfect substance or combination of substances may allow an ordinary person to transcend to godhood. This group, known internally as the Apotheosis Initiative, is actively experimenting with various substances, programs, subroutines and the hacking of safe-guards to make the ESES into god machines.

James le Crochet, Pirate King of Voivodja

Although the country of Voivodja is surrounded on all sides by jagged mountains and twisted forests, some of her many channels empty out on a misty lagoon, where adventures will discover a settlement of pirates. The shanty village along the coast is unimpressive, especially compared to the immense ship anchored not far from shore. This ship is the size of a palace, complete with towers reaching to the heavens, is the home of James le Crochet, the Pirate King of Voivodja.

le Crochet is a wealthy and charismatic leader of his pirate band, although his face is heavily scared and his eyes seem to bulge from the sockets. He wears only the finest clothing, usually dyed a rich shade of blue, his favorite color. The same applies to his long beard and the deathly sharp hook on his left hand, crafted from blue steel.

Although he is a ruthless pirate and bootlegger, he is best known for the many wives he has taken, all of which have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. There is an official record of the 300+ wives le Crochet has married and the reasons for their disappearances or deaths, but many suspect that the pirate lord has killed every one for his own nefarious purposes. He has also been blamed for the abductions of countless children from the Orb Loc, including those children kept in wells.

It is true that le Crochet is killing his wives and the children, but few know the details of these atrocities. Each murder is done as a scarifies to Satrune, the crocodile god of tides and time. The monstrous demon-god demands tribute of brides and children, and as such has instilled in le Crochet an insatiable lust for women and an unquenchable hatred for children. As a devoted worshiper of Satrune, le Crochet is a level-5 magic user with an expertise in demonology and diabolism.

His greatest enemy is the one wife who has escaped is grasp, Joan de Pan. In order to flee the sea palace, de Pan removed le Crochet's left hand with a cleaver, resulting in the hook-hand that would become his trademark, She has sworn vengeance on the pirate and has amassed a small army of Lost Men who roam the forests of Voivodja, killing vampires and pirates with extreme prejudice. It is rumored the de Pan has become skilled in shadow magic and has the ability to soar like a raven on the wind. The mere mention of Joan de Pan is enough to send le Crochet into a blood-thirsty rage.

Although he owes no allegiance to either the Heart Queen or the Red King, he will gladly accept mercenary work and trade with either of the warring factions. He would give anything for the opportunity to wed either the Heart Queen or the Colorless Queen in order to sacrifice their vampiric existence to his demon lord. If this means seeking favor from the queens or working underhandedly with the Red King, so be it.

My Gaming Resolutions for 2015

This last year, 2014, was a good year for me when it came to reading and talking about RPGs. D&D 5e came out, which got me excited for the future of the hobby. A bunch of creative people put out very creative books and my RPG collection has ballooned. I had many great conversations with people online about games. I even got to meet some of those people in real life once I figured out I practically live down the street from them.

Unfortunately, 2014 wasn't a very good read for actually playing games. I managed to run a few games at home, but way too many of them were clusterfucks with way too many players and not enough focus. I did run my very first convention game at Game Con South Bend and that was an extremely positive experience. Although I missed Gen Con, the small local convention exceeded my expectations and I had a lot of fun.

2015 is going to be a year about playing and running games. My goal is to play in at least 26 games this year, which is roughly one game per two weeks. I think this is a manageable goal, but to be honest, 26 doesn't seem like enough games. I suppose there will never be enough.

I also want to make a big dent in the number of unused books on my bookshelf. Below are the following games I want to run or play in the next year, including the modules and supplements I want to use.

• Dungeon Crawl Classics
• The Chained Coffin
• Peril on the Purple Planet
• Lamentations of the Flame Princess
• A Red & Pleasant Land
• No Salvation for Witches
• Qelong
• Scenic Dunnsmouth
• Death Frost Doom (provided anyone who was in my first edition run-though isn't present)
• Dungeon World
• Narcosa (probably in Dungeon Crawl Classics)
• Wild Talents
• Primogenitor 
• Monsters and Other Childish Things
• Unknown Armies
• Warhammer Fantasy Role Play, Third Edition
• Into the Odd
• Our Last Best Hope
• DC Heroes
• Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space

Focusing on this long list will also help me focus on my third goal, which is to not spend any of my salary on hobby materials. This still means I can spend some bonus money, gifts and commission cash on games, but it also means I have to be very intentional with my spending. I was a little liberal with my purchases in 2014, and while this did not cause any financial hardship, it did result in a fair amount of frustration and limited mental bandwidth.  

This probably means I won't be going to Gen Con this year, but I think I'll be able to swing some smaller, local cons and hopefully play in this years Anti-Gen Con on Google Plus.

Here's to 2015.  This last year was a great year for tabletop gaming but I'm sure we can make this year even better.