Zone-age Rumours (1d30)

If you've read Roadside Picnic or seen Stalker, you know how inspirational they can be.

John at Fate SF is running a creative project, open to all: add a Zone-inspired work to the gaming canon, for any system. Just write it up and post - maybe using the funky image by Hereticwerks up top - and leave the link at John's, to go into the master table.

Here's my starting point, for narrative skirmish and tactical roleplaying especially: a d30 table of rumours from a Zone-struck world, for some context and large-scale campaign seeds. Feed them into a weird, modern or near-future setting or use them for inspiration.

Table - OSRs

This is a revised version of the table I posted at The Other Side, for terms that could be making up the acronym OSR. I'll be linking back to it whenever a definition might help.

Roll 1D30 per letter. For example, 5, 4 and 15 give the usual Old School Renaissance.

Table - Rumour accuracy

Another random table for old school roleplaying, partly inspired by the experiences of the GW fanbase in getting info on future releases, especially given the rumoured new policy.

I've aimed to keep the truth of the rumour itself unclear, but suggest the nature of this truth may in fact be more complex. Roll 1D30 as many times as you like per rumour.

1. The rumour builds on earlier rumours, 1) with / 2) without references.
2. The rumour has been heard before, but its time is said to have come.
3. This rumour is a venerable work and its repetition a mysterious ritual.
4. The source is a known rumourmonger; the first other person asked gives accuracy as 2D12-2x10%, this then 1D3x10 points 1) higher / 2) lower.
   
5. The rumour contains one 1) truly astounding claim / 2) patent falsehood.
6. The rumour is accompanied by an advertisement for a related product.
7. Local chips in: source recognised as linked to the subject of the rumour.
8. Guard dropped: source appears to be in the pay of a figure in the rumour.
9. The source incorporates an angry rant about the subject of the rumour.
10. The source is 1) reading / 2) being prompted / 3) channelling the rumour.
11. The source has fingers crossed or 1) known / 2) unknown equivalent.
12. The source makes mention of a particular quantity of salt, or comparable figurative substance, perhaps repeatedly - is this a code of some kind?
13. Could the source be trying to communicate something else altogether?
14. The source appears to be highly intoxicated, possibly on own power.
15. The rumour of the rumour is drawing a large crowd, many speculating.
16. A listener-in flashes what may be 1) a knowing look / 2) a secret sign.
17. Nearby people look nervous and keep their distance from the source.
18. Abrupt change: 1) a hush falls; 2) lightning strikes; 3) a band strikes up.
19. Has subject changed policy? Demand for this rumour is 1) high / 2) low.
20. This rumour has already gone viral and spawned a whole new trope.
21. This rumour has a peculiar attraction to one or more of those hearing it.
22. Manner and content suggest this rumour may express a private desire.
23. The last rumour but one heard by this party is said to have been false.
24. The next rumour but one heard by this party is prophesied to be true.
25. This rumour seems to be confirmed by all seen hereafter, if not thus far.
26. The rumour is so vaguely worded that the party begin to doubt reality.
27. If attention is paid, or the rumour written down, it is seen to be gibberish.
28. The source is fictitious, but appears entirely unaware of the fact.
29. Midflow the source 1) changes narrative point of view / 2) refers to self by surprising name / 3) stops and wonders aloud what the point of it all is.
30. The source claims to have plenty more where this one came from.

_

Beyond A to Z

For most of us the A to Z Blogging Challenge is now over, or the last few entries are being polished and posted. A time for reflection. How did it go here?

In terms of numbers, not too badly. As far as I can recall without checking, 22 of the 26 were posted on the intended day, and of the four that were not, two were around a day late, one half a day or so, and one just a few minutes. Close enough. I'll take that.

In terms of content, I'm relatively happy. It began as planned, as one side of a dialogue dealing each day with an aspect of the ravelling yarns setting, whether an aspect seen previously or one entirely new. Then things got a little out of hand, and the narrator was killed and resurrected, running the narrative off onto another set of rails.

Hello, little beastie... - Living table (1) - Entries 1-30

This ties in loosely with yesterday's post on a new way of playing miniatures wargames in heavier terrain, but is also very relevant to roleplaying games of all or most kinds.

In dense alien jungles and rubble-strewn post-apocalyptic cityscapes it's quite possible player characters and units will bump into strange new creatures, many of which will be small and relatively insignificant, but still able to influence the game and add colour...

Here then is the first table at the Expanse - 'Hello, little beastie...' - and it's being donated to the Living Table project at DM Muse, an excellent site full of good ideas for games and fiction. Old School Heretic gives a batch of stats here. Impressive.

I'll feed in the entries now and the table should be up soon. Once it is, just head across and add your own whenever the Muse calls.

Until then, it's a mighty D30 table. Yes, D30. Learn about the Order of the D30 here.

The idea is simple. When an individual or group takes cover, explores a hidden space or moves an item, a roll may be made on the table. The creatures are deemed too small to warrant stats and are at the mercy of the characters if they can be caught. System-specific details are not given - these can be set in advance or, better still, improvised.