"If This Pylon's A-Rockin'..." Hump-Day CHA'ALT Roll20 Campaign

 

I got to run the 2nd session for our hump-day Cha'alt campaign via Roll20 (if you couldn't get that from the blog post's title), and it was just as much fun as the first!.

We had Ka'az, ST-K1 (The Saint), Vor'sarkh, and Dirk Diggler Fergusa'an a wounded war veteran from the third Federation occupation collecting cans in the desert to pay his medical bills.  

The not-unattractive elf sorceress (we later discover her name is Candy) was continuing to arc an indigo-blue electricity from her wand to the pylon's matrix table.  Still night time.  After some chit-chat, the PCs convinced her that they might be able to help her siphon the pylon's energy so she can [checks notes]... 

“Give to my people's equitable guillotine of social freedom and democratic secular union. So, the unwashed masses of New Ja'alette, city-state of the social justice warriors, can seize the means of production.  It's how we deal with heretics and infidels.  My people crave for the time when we can decapitate those who do not conform to our neo-liberal ways."

In exchange, she promised to help the malfunctioning droid Vor'sarkh - using her wand to turn him humanoid, as in flesh and bone, rather than metal and circuits.  The droid sorcerer was stupefied by this result.  The Saint used his crystal-rimmed jaccard on the energy crystals sitting atop the matrix table, and Ka'az initiated his smooth ladies man moves on Candy.  

Turns out, she was down.  But just to be certain, the blue-velvet elf's player stimulated the sleaze Cha'alt X-Card, which could also be used to make a likely event, given enough time and energy, into an entire subplot for the scenario... or at least extending what might be only a moment into, more or less, an entire scene.  It basically signals to the GM that the player wants whatever it is to be more prominent... bigger, longer, and uncut.  

Anyway, Ka'az gained Divine Favor for his use of the Cha'alt X-Card, as well as, his Ghostbusters 2 reference.  "I've worked with better... but not many."

So, Ka'az got his sleaze factor-5 bonus; although, she got a little too attached.  She saw him as long-term relationship material.  I've used a d8 vibe-check roll once or twice in the past.  It basically determines how the individual who's rolling feels about a situation.  

If, for example, the sex was innately pleasurable or gratifying in an emotional way.  Stuff that we don't, as humans, consciously choose.  Obviously, a subconscious attraction or sympathetic vibrations can be acted-upon or not acted-upon, depending upon the player.  My job as the GM, or Sofa King, is not to decide how one responds with actions or words - nevertheless, informing a character how he feels about something is well within my purview.  

Anyway, Ka'az got less than mid (3) and I rolled better than mid for Candy (5+1 for both the player's vivid description of events and Ka'az complimenting his conquest).  She was definitely into the blue-velvet elf.

Originally, The Saint opened a portal to a cave containing Marshal, Will, and Holly talking to Enik about the time doorways as they viewed a portal of their own where a yellow inflatable raft went from high-speed rapids and then over a waterfall - "Aa'ahhhhh!"  A weird mist poured out of that portal into the PC's pylon interior and a purple-mauve energy crystal fell upon the black floor.  

Poor rolling continued as Dirk fiddled with the matrix table, opening a portal to a Chinese restaurant from the set of Seinfeld, naturally. Enormous green suckered tentacles grabbed a couple party members, dragging them into the Golden Seschua'an Palace and nearly into the kitchen where perhaps Great K'tulu was cooking up some shrimp fried rice?

Eventually the PCs were able to collect the necessary food.  Dirk complained about the smell and a green-eyed waitress got in his face.  Apparently, she was looking for an excuse for him to make an example out of her.  As Dirk went to Chinatown on her, the other PCs gathered up their take-out and headed towards the portal.  

Lo and behold, it was mid-morning and everyone else was gone (including the talkative midnight-elf who I forgot was there until a player brought him up halfway through the session).  Ka'az's new girlfriend left a note saying "You never came back, so I've moved on.  Find me in New Ja'alette (a suburb of the all-female city-state, this one uses lots of male slaves or simps as they're commonly referred to) if you want to hook-up again."

It was clear that some time had passed since returning from the Chinese restaurant, but just how much was still unknown.  Even though the demon with the sack full of gold at the Burnt-Umber Jackal Worm cantina was probably long gone, the PCs exited the pylon and headed for the ruins.

They eventually came upon a wall, about 14-feet tall and unscalable (to the average humanoid).  It stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions, preventing them from accessing whatever was on the other side.  As they pondered exactly how to proceed, the session ended.

"Tough climb. If a patrol comes by, we might be better off requesting asylum, but I am not sure if we are on the good side or the bad one.  I have a job on this side, so I am worried....  Past this, it could be donkey shows and Car'tels."

Thanks for reading!  If you'd like to experience the Cha'alt magic for yourself, jump into a game.  The hump-day campaign happens every Wednesday night 9:30 - 11pm (central standard time).

VS

p.s.  Yes, weekend badges are now available for July 2026's VENGER CON V: The Will To Power.  Want a great new TTRPG community where you can hang out with other gamers, get ideas, advice, and training in order to improve?  Look no further than the fastest-growing group on X - it's the Kult of Kort'thalis.  Want the hardcover Cha'alt trilogy?  Here's how (and they're currently on sale!)!!  

"I could slather something on that pocket-dog that'll make it sit up and bark at the lavender moons" - Hump-Day CHA'ALT Campaign Session Report

 

Sometimes, sacrifices must be made... and sometimes things just work out a certain way; happily coinciding like fate.

It's becoming clear now that our last session in "season 3" of our Cha'alt campaign was the actual end, as I suspected it might be.  And if you've been keeping tabs, last Wednesday night I tried to start what would be a long-term (West Marches style, so whoever shows up gets to play in a loose, player-directed series of adventures) virtual Roll20 game set in Cha'alt.

Me telling folks that I want to run a one-shot 24-hours (or even less) whenever I had free time was not working.  I'd get a small handful of people signing-up, and then usually one player would actually show, resulting in another canceled session.  Not cool.

I did what I've been having to do lately, think smarter, be cunning, and use the sly-man approach.  I mean, in this instance, I just did the next logical step - set up a regular weekly game that's always-on so folks can prepare for it and know that it's going to be there as a permanent fixture.  If a dozen or so gamers are aware of Wednesday night's game, that increases the likelihood of getting enough players to play.

Sidenote, it looks like VENGER CON will remain a small but dedicated gaming convention for the hardcore several who keep coming back for more.  Scaling it down allows it to not lose money (first couple years broke-even, but going to the newer, nicer venue has seen a small financial loss the last two years), and I don't have to stress about not selling enough badges to pay for itself.  I can focus on what VENGER CON should be about - pushing oneself to create a fantastic gaming experience so awesome and profound that it changes the medium forever.  That's the kind of cultural significance I'd like to manifest.

Ok, back to the Wednesday night (9:30 - 11:00pm) virtual Cha'alt campaign.  Last week didn't work out (only one player again), but I kept at it because it was important to put this in motion and keep it going until it started paying out.  We had 3 players last night, my second attempt at starting the hump-day campaign.  Success!

I'm going to give folks the gist and highlight a few phrases from last night's game, which is easy to do since my virtual sessions are text-only.  I can simply re-read and copy/paste the sort of things I wish I could fully remember when playing live face-to-face (though, I do take notes for the session reports that follow).  I'm going to follow this brief session report up with info on how I'm running Divine Favor, because what I'm doing now is different and I want my players, as well as, those taking a keen interest in Cha'alt, to know what's up.

Ok, the three players were ST-K1 or The Saint, an assassin droid gone rogue who's become a mechanical soldier of fortune (warrior).  ST can feel when magic is afoot.  I've GMed ST-K1 several times, both on Roll20 and VENGER CON.  Ka'az Shoro is a swashbuckling blue-velvet elven thief and ladies man who loathes real work.  Then, we had Vor'sarkh, a droid sorcerer who's also a Cthulhu worshiper.  Everyone started at 3rd level with max HP.

The opening crawl... or scrawl, I should say, since it's just an introductory block of text setting the stage...

In a time before and yet also after time, there had been a universe containing the inestimable Cha'alt. Desert planet; aya'ahuasca-flavored popsicles; fuchsia sky, worms everywhere, weird shit, man. Twin suns so hot they'll make your worm's neck penis blister in the shade. Yeah, that's how hot it is. 

The three of you haven't known each other long, but find yourselves this night in the Burnt Umber Jackal-Worm, a shitty cantina in the bad part of town. However, it's got one thing that most dives don't - three stripper poles in the sunken stage area towards the back, carpeted with neon-pink leopard. 

Ok, tell me what you're currently doing in the cantina and either who you're with or what's on your mind.  BTW, you're all 3rd level in this dimension - the yellow electric banana dimension.

There was a lot of conversation, banter back-and-forth, and getting a lay of the land... in more ways than one.

Ka'az wanted to get his sleaze factor-5 bonus on, and started talking to the ladies.  The Saint was playing the kalimba for anyone interested in hearing it.  Vor'sarkh was a former custodial droid forced to clean toilets for a Cthulhu cult out in the deep desert.  As he had recently escaped, he was looking for money in order to survive.

The techno dark ambient dub-step with repurposed Lord GaGa's vocals spliced over the top via A.I. drowns out your kalimba, sadly.  The bartender keeps eyeing the two organics, expecting you to eventually order a drink. "You sad-sacks gonna drink something or just sit there looking like a horny incel on blue dreamers?"

As the PCs ogled the strippers and started making moves (including ST attempting to interface with a filthy, slutty financial computer), a patron of sorts entered the scene...

After several minutes of digital degradation, and the bartender condescending your manhoods as he shakes his head, a demon approaches. He's got a full black beard and a sack full of coins. "I've heard someone over here might be interested in making some real money."

He gives you a smarmy, self-satisfied smile before telling you how simple the job is. There are ruins to the north about an hour's journey on foot, swallowed by the desert years ago. Earlier this evening, a few men came in here talking about something they saw in the Seena-Ellistra'ad ruins, something with a unique coloration not seen on Cha'alt for millennia. Bring back whatever it is, whatever has that otherworldly hue, and all this gold - gold, mind you, not talons - shall be yours to share."

When asked what the exact color is, and how big, heavy, or transportable this colorful object might be, the demon responded...

"It would be impossible for a lowly servant of Kort'thalis , such as myself, to describe. But it has been said the color is like dwindling twilight just before the violent end to a disappointing universe.  A source has told me that the object, whatever it is, can be held... or wielded, either one or two-handed."

After a few more shenanigans, they headed out into the desert at night to find the Seena-Ellistra'ad ruins.  A chatty midnight-elf had followed them out of the cantina and kept talking to them as they trekked through the sand.  Sharing fun-facts such as...

 "Seena-Ellistra'ad is the Niagara Falls of the S'kbah desert, they say."  And, "Did you know that twerking was first invented on Cha'alt? That's how the women-folk used to call sandworms."

So much worldbuilding going on!  Cha'alt is growing exponentially, it seems.  More stage setting...

As you walk amongst the magenta-turned-violet night sky, under the ascending lavender moons, the sound of an ululating sandworm catches your ears. It could be far-off, but there's no way of knowing with the desert's echoes.

Eventually, the PCs noticed a pylon to the west and they investigated.  A humanoid in black robes was guarding the open entrance.  The PCs tried talking to him, but he was all about the guarding, cutting deep into Vor'sarkh's hip and outer-thigh with a magical scimitar, almost severing his mechanical leg.  The Saint and Ka'az made short work of him, flanking the guard with sneak-attacks.

Vor purposefully broke the 4th wall to tell the GM (henceforth known in the hump-day Cha'alt campaign as Sofa King) that he felt no pain.  I awarded him a point of Divine Favor for that, but he was still badly wounded and no priest.  Ka'az casually mentioned that droids could heal when powering-down and dreaming of electric sheep.  Hey, works for me!

Inside, was an indigo-blue light flashing.  ST went inside to check it out, seeing an elven sorceress zapping the matrix table with her wand.  The Saint tried to explain the rationality of SCIENCE to her, but she insulted him and continued.  

That's where we ended the session.  In the moment, it can be a little hard to follow what everyone is saying, as there will be times that I'm typing a response to someone, and in that time, two or more players have chimed-in, and yeah.  If I missed anything as we play, don't be afraid to remind me when I've neglected to reply to what you've posted.  

Divine Favor

I used to give everyone starting Divine Favor right off the bat, but now that there are so many ways to earn it, I'd rather keep DF as an incentivizing tool.  Ok, here are all the ways of earning Divine Favor...

• Breaking the 4th wall in an amusing, interesting, or poignant way.
• Stimulating a Cha'alt X-Card.
• Doing something amazingly hilarious and/or awesome, above and beyond all the amazing, hilarious and awesome things that PCs are routinely doing.
• Rolling the Zeeku die (the d6 that accompanies d20 rolls to determine if that action coincides with either a complication or opportunity) in which the result is a 1.  Yeah, I'm going to make Zeeku optional and up to players themselves to remember, since I don't feel like policing everyone's d20 rolls throughout the campaign - I've got too much on my plate for that.
• Stroking the proverbial sandworm as one whispers their inner-thoughts like in the 1984 Dune voice-over [yes, this is new... something I've been thinking about for the last couple weeks].  
• Implementing the gilded die of Satanis, which I'm in the process of retooling for virtual games.  Something like, if you succeed, some kind of awkward, embarrassing, cringe side-effect occurs during your attempted action.  But if you fail, nothing embarrassing happens at all.
• And whatever I decide to add to this list as the hump-day Cha'alt campaign continues.  I'll probably come up with something on a session-by-session basis, like creating and implementing another layer to your character's backstory.

Incidentally, it occurred to me that not only should DF be bankable (saved for later), but borrowed.  Let's say, you need to burn some DF right now but don't have any stored up... and want to save the Cha'alt X-Card or whatever for a later date.  You can use it now, even though you're earning it later (that spent-ahead-of-time point gets immediately burned).  

If you haven't earned DF that you've already spent by the session's end, you "go into debt."  Which will probably result in some kind of hilariously awful penalty exacted upon your PC at the start of the next session.

Ok, next hump-day session will be the following Wednesday from 9:30 - 11:00pm via Roll20 (text-only and 18+).  I'll announce when the next session's listing is online (first on the Kult of Kort'thalis community on X, then the rest of X and FB.  

Thanks for reading, hoss!

VS

p.s.  Yes, weekend badges are now available for July 2026's VENGER CON V: The Will To Power.  Want a great new TTRPG community where you can hang out with other gamers, get ideas, advice, and training in order to improve?  Look no further than the fastest-growing group on X - it's the Kult of Kort'thalis.  Want the hardcover Cha'alt trilogy?  Here's how (and they're currently on sale!)!!