VENGER CON Aftermath (convention report, part 3)

 

Ok, here's part one, part two, and my latest video.  All in an effort to get you up to speed on VENGER CON II: Electric Boogaloo.  

Alrighty, the meat of this blog post will be my 2nd Cha'alt game and a little about the final session of VENGER CON... Alpha Blue.

We started with 4 players - Imur a droid warrior (an old assassination-droid with the serial numbers filed off), Gabriel a human cleric (and worshiper of the King in Yellow), Frank Beezlebub a demon sorcerer with made an ill-fated pact with a demon and was sentenced to Cha'alt as a punishment, the droid thief ST-K1 who goes by "The Saint" and keeps killing folks wielding scimitars without the proper license and registration... and halfway through, we picked-up a 5th player who played Black Destro, a human warrior.

This is the session that ventured deep down into Cremza'amirikza'am.  It's why I brought the magenta lamp - the lamp that never got used because I plum forgot about it!  Oh well, next year.  On the plus side, I did remember to bring my travel drum.  It was only for one encounter (could have used it more, I suppose), but it lent a certain amount of je ne sais quoi to the session.

I know I've said this elsewhere, but if I'm running a session primarily set in a certain location, I usually don't begin there.  I start the PCs in another place and let them arrive at the place they'll be exploring after 15% - 25% of mucking about in a tavern or wandering the desert or on a starship.  In this case, the PCs were locked behind laser bars on a starship headed for Cha'alt.  Cha'alt was listed as a Federation penal planet, and the PCs were prisoners.  In several hours, they'd be starting their new life on Cha'alt.

Of course, ST-K1 was familiar with the planet... as was an NPC I cooked up named Za'av - green skin, former gladiator with a badass weapon that would be too difficult to describe with mere words (it was named Ka'arl).

The PCs became acquainted (also an important step in my games), got to Cha'alt, but no one was around - all the crew had vanished.  They re-acquired their stuff, took as much info as they could from the ship's computer, and walked out into the desert.  Getting a bird's eye view, the demon sorcerer noticed a stone temple that had seen better days.  They walked to it.

Inside was a ball of yellow light that could speak directly into their minds, and a stone spiral stairway leading down to Cremza'amirikza'am.  In my best Thundarr villain voice, I instructed them that Iva'ak-Na'az, the great and powerful, wished them to travel down into the under-realm and bring back the Lokna'ar!

Gabriel believed this was a direct message from the King in Yellow and gladly obeyed.  The rest either felt like there was something to be gained, or that it was at least a starting point in their adventuring career.

I used the Vanessa and her banana-men servants as the opening - once they got past the black robed Kort'thalis worshipers flaying the back flesh from a humanoid corpse with none other than a crystal-rimmed jaccard - a thief's tool of inestimable value that was slumming it in the hands of depraved cultists.

From that moment on, ST-K1 used the crystal-rimmed jaccard as a "whip-missile" like from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the weapon employed by the blue guy.  Why the fuck not?

Wanting to help Vanessa and find the Lokna'ar, the PCs ventured forth, exploring the first level of Cremza'amirikza'am.  They encountered more cultists, androids, replicants, and a tentacled clown-worm before discovering a secret cave leading to a subway tunnel with active subway!  The PCs decided to get on board and see where it took them.  After climbing aboard, they realized it was a 2-day journey to someplace they didn't know.

After a random encounter of a unicorn murdering an NPC passenger, the subway car was attacked by a warlord wearing black serpentine armor and his minions.  They jumped on top of the subway car and laser-sworded a circle in the ceiling to jump down.  Several were shot with blasters and assorted weapons by the PCs before getting into melee range.  It was a good battle.

Hours later, the subway slowed down in front of The Black Pyramid of Cha'alt and the PCs decided that's where the mettle of real adventurers are probably tested, jumped out, and headed for their fate.

We had a lot of fun, and many jokes were made... my favorite memorable line was the following, "This timeline is from a damaged prophecy."

I did get a chance to use the moon dice, and realized that it didn't provide the punch that I wanted.  The way I approached the mechanics, it emphasized something slightly different than what I was after.  I was reminded that in game design, you should make your design fulfill a variety of purposes.  However, at the end of the day, decide which has the highest need and go about fulfilling that first and foremost.  

With the moon dice, I wanted it to serve many masters, but in the end, I mostly wanted a way for the PCs to attempt epic, legendary actions that would normally be out of their reach.

Since the convention, I redesigned the moon dice, mechanically speaking, in order to meet that highest design goal.  Thanks to my speedy layout guy, I already have an updated PDF for Crimson Dragon Slayer D20 Revised.

So, the last session was Alpha Blue.  As I stated in my latest (as of this writing) video, character creation just sort of fell into place.  I saw it from a different angle, and that objective perspective made it clear how to proceed.

Here's what I did... 

• Everyone roll either on the scoundrel or respectable career table (just one time per PC).
• Then choose if you want to be an alien, robot, mutant, or human (other)... which means rolling on the d4 table allowing you to have psionic powers, zedi abilities, etc.
• Finish all your rolling on the other tables as seems reasonable (outfit, gun, backstory, name, etc.)
• If you rolled on the respectable career table, your combat dice pool is a 2d6.  If you're a scoundrel, roll 3d6.

The PCs were Dreego the human medic (who owes a bounty hunter named Ma'altag - hey, I was still in a Cha'alt mood, and was toying with directing the PCs to that desert planet), Razwand a cyborg con-man, Azroy a human psionicist, Feyd Akhbar a human interior designer and rich nobleman, and Satara the Lovecraftian alien assassin who was more female than male.

The shared background of the penis-headed alien who groomed two of the PCs on the same ship made for a good starting place.

They were all aboard Feyd Akhbar's ship on their way to Alpha Blue when they came upon a seemingly dead vessel but still full of lifeforms.  Force-docking onto the S.S. Love Ship, they boarded it.  All the passengers were comfortably sleeping.  Azroy reached out in his mind to discover that most were having erotic dreams featuring a small green alien with a bulbous head.

The small green alien, eventually located in the cargo hold, was using his own psionic powers to control the sleepers' dreams and collect some blue juice filling a cannister sitting next to the alien.  

After finding out the details and realizing this was a potential gold mine with no one to stop them, they shot the alien, stole the blue juice (along with various valuables belonging to the passengers), and went back to their ship.  Now, they had something to sell on Alpha Blue.

After arrival, they went to a Mos Eisley cantina style bar where deals usually went down. There was some space hanky-panky in the champaign room to start things off.

It was then that I decided, as the GM (or Bold Dungeon Space Master) that I decided to fly too close to the sun.  There was a guy tailing the PCs and he had a boss.  The PCs found someone who had a boss that might want to buy the blue juice.  And there was the bounty hunter who wanted the money owed to him - plus interest.  And who knows, maybe another guy, as well?!?

I got lost in all the guys with bosses, deals being made, names, appointments, and just everything.  Luckily, the PCs had taken notes and got me sorted out.

There was some high-level grifting, wheeling and dealing, and a white-knuckle shoot-out back at the cantina.  The scenario only lasted about 3 hours, but it was the tail-end of the convention, and we came to a satisfying conclusion.  Time to pack it all up, say goodbyes, and drive home.

It was a great time, while still leaving room for improvement.  If you want to mark your calendars, the official dates agreed upon by my wife and several of the attendees I talked to over the weekend are Friday, July 19th - Sunday, July 21st.

Unfortunately, those dates don't work for the hotel (which is weird, because even during our convention the day-of there were room vacancies), so I'm going to shop around for another venue.  I'll keep you posted.

That's it!  Thanks for going on this journey with me, even if it's just reading the post-con report blog posts.  I appreciate your support.

VS

p.s. I did sell a number of books, including the magnificent and gorgeous Cha'alt hardcovers that are still on sale!  Ordering details here!

Cha'alt After Dark (part 2)

I'm running a 2nd playtest session for Cha'alt After Dark this Saturday night.

Should be just as awesome as the 1st session - read the play report.

Briefly, it's a mix of Alpha Blue sleazy aesthetics in the eldritch, gonzo, science-fantasy, post-apocalypse world of Cha'alt.  Should go together like chocolate and peanut butter.  I'll be crowd-funding the adventure starting on June 10th.

In the meantime, if you want to play with us on Roll20, come join us!  First come, first served.  90-minute session, text only, 18+ due to sexual content, mature themes, and graphic violence.

VS

p.s. If you're asking about the gorgeous Cha'alt and Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise hardcovers, I've still some left.  Ordering details here.

Larry Flynt: Space Hustler

 

It's obvious to me that without Larry Flynt, there might not be an Alpha Blue RPG.  And what a tragedy that would be for the universe!

I just found out that he died.  Champion of free speech and lover of all things sleazy... RIP, hoss.

From now until Monday, I'm bringing 3 Alpha Blue titles to the low, low price of $1.  

It all started with Alpha Blue.  That gets you in the mood while teaching you everything you need to play.

Girls Gone Rogue is the first Alpha Blue supplement.  More options, random tables, and scenarios.

An even bigger and nastier supplement is Universal Exploits. It's got everything! 

I tried to make everything as rules-light, gameable, humorous, sexy, and sci-fi as I could.  Anyway, enjoy.  Pour a Purple Prizm out for one of my heroes, Larry Flynt.  If you want to read about the man, this is as good a place as any.

VS

p.s. Yep, my Saving Cha'alt kickstarter is going for another couple weeks.  Back it now before you have to pay retail [shudders uncontrollably].

Alpha Blue D20

I've just released a D20 version of Alpha Blue.  If you're familiar with Alpha Blue already, let me warn you... this is not what you're expecting.

Here's the DriveThruRPG link!

For better or worse, Alpha Blue D20 shifted in tone, along with the mechanics.  I honestly don't know if it was the right move, but this is the version that materialized.  Please, let me know what you think.  And if you playtest it (like I hope to over the next couple weeks), tell me about it!

As with the latest iteration of Crimson Dragon Slayer, this is meant for one-shots and short campaigns.

The PDF is free and really short (7 pages, including a cover, credits page, and full-page artwork).  Doesn't get any more bare bones than this.  If you're at all familiar with D&D (old school or 5e), grokking the system should be a no-brainer.

Also, hope everyone is surviving out there!

VS

Alpha Blue 50% Off

This week, for no reason whatsoever, I'm offering the original and core Alpha Blue roleplaying game PDF at 50% off!!!

The impetus was to create a rules-light space opera kind of game that delved into sleaze and smut, just like the vintage sci-fi movies of my youth - but willing to go even further, if necessary.  After all, there's no ratings board in space.

It was a bold move (many would say foolhardy or just downright idiotic) to pair cheesy sci-fi camp with sex.  But the risk was worth the reward - a new and different kind of game that I really wanted to play with my like-minded pervy friends.  Your star-mileage will vary...

The Alpha Blue line has more supplementary support than any of my other RPGs.  Take a peek!  That's probably because it's my favorite.  Also, there isn't much like it.  Machinations of the Space Princess comes close, but the two are quite different.

Yes, I borrowed the title from 1980 porno The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue. 

Yes, I consider Alpha Blue to be OSR.  Not because it uses a d20 mechanic (d6 dice pools, actually) but it's a traditional RPG that champions rulings over rules, immersion over PC optimization, and the very real possibility of death.  So, watch your ass!

Any other questions?  Please ask, I'd love to chat about it.

VS

p.s. If you want the softcover (and why wouldn't you?), I recommend purchasing it from Amazon.

A Credit For Your THOTs

This is the final installment of the THOT trilogy.  You can get the PDF here.

It's got all the usual awesomeness.  If you love sleazy scifi, random tables, and modular systems that are fun and easy to use, then grab yourself a squirming fistful of xenophilia!

Have a question, just ask...

VS

p.s. Cha'alt is about 2 or 3 weeks from completion.

GaryCon 2019 (part 2)

Ok, I'm going to primarily talk about the two sessions of Alpha Blue I ran at GaryCon this past weekend.

Even though I was excited to run Alpha Blue (as usual), I was noticeably less so this time around.  And even though I had a great time during the game, something felt a little off.

Part of the reason is that I neglected to bring the core rulebook with me.  I had a big box of Kort'thalis Publishing softcovers in the back of my car, but inexplicably, Alpha Blue was not among them.  And while I did manage to bring this drawing I made of a cantina containing 60+ spacer scum, I forgot to print out the key that would have allowed me to use it properly.  Son of the bitch!

Never wait until the last minute, kids.  And always triple-check your supplies!

Nevertheless, character creation proceeded smoothly using the three word/phrase method! Easy, quick, and flexible, I think that's definitely the way to go for something like a three-hour convention game.

But there was something else, too.  I think it might have been the idea that Alpha Blue has gone "mainstream."  The concept still isn't popular, soft-core sci-fi will always be niche.  Yet, a lot of the people have played it, and so the newness has worn off.  Players familiar with Alpha Blue know what's coming. No longer apprehensive, their illicit expectations guide their characters' behavior.

Take, for instance, the customs officer checking lifeforms over before they can enter Alpha Blue proper.  When he started to get handsy with a female droid PC, she was super eager to go into a little room and get banged.  Then they do that and it's over and... we're onto the next thing.  I guess the potential for conflict was missing and in-game sex seemed like going through the motions.

A similar thing happened with two female droids in the other game.  They hooked themselves up to the little shuttle transporting them to an Alpha Blue bar and had "robot sex" in an instant.  It was amusing and cool, bordering on "naughty," but even as it was happening I could feel the novelty wearing off.

It reminds me of that Twilight Zone episode where the guy thinks he's in heaven because all he does is succeed.  Anything he asks for, he gets.  If he gambles, he always wins.  In a very short time, he's miserable because it no longer feels like real life, soon discovering that he's actually in hell.

There's a few different ways of dealing with that issue.  But I didn't realize there was an issue until I was in the middle of these games.  So, my Cha'alt sessions felt slightly more successful than Alpha Blue, even though I'm pretty sure all 23 (or so) of my players had a great time.

So, how to deal?  Well, I wrote something up for Draconic Magazine.

Nevertheless, lots and lots of laughter reverberated through the aether as players kept trying to one-up each other to new heights of inappropriate degradation.  Below are some brief highlights...

• Brokeback asteroid.
• Defibrillating ass-chaps (ass-less chaps)
• Treasure chest full of gold, vibrating, diamond-crusted cock-rings.
• Extra-crotchless panties.
• PCs' starship named "The Green Fairy."
• That leaky breathing slot in the forehead I'll never be able to erase from my memory banks. 

What else?  I bought some cool "diffusion" style dice in a variety of colors.  All the numbering is plain white... boring vanilla white.  So, I'm in the process of re-coloring the dice numbers.  It's... not going well.  In hopes of making it permanent, I decided to use oil-paint pens.  That was a big mistake.  Even the fine-point ones made a big mess.

Cleaning the dice off with turpentine (paint-thinner) proved time consuming while also wearing off the paint within the numbers - even though I did three coats.  And even after trying to start from scratch with a turpentine bath, the dice still feel a little tacky.

So, tomorrow I'm going to try starting over again with an acrylic pen.  Tentacles crossed!

Will I be back next year?  Not sure; I had to pull a lot of strings to attend this GaryCon XI.  It'll most likely be 2021 before I return.

VS

Stars Without Civility

UPDATE:  Apparently, that comment didn't come from Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Publishing, but some jackass impersonating him. 

Ok, this post is about Kevin Crawford [yeah, some other dude] throwing down on Prince of Nothing's Stars Without Number review.

Now, it would be hypocritical of me to say creators shouldn't rail against criticism.  I do it all the time (hope you're finally able to sit down without one of those donut-cushions, Bryce).  Some critiques are valuable, others are the opposite of that.

But I didn't really say anything too negative.  The whole comment section (just like the review itself) is basically a love-letter to Stars Without Number.

Here's what I wrote...

"Some of the tools do sound useful, but overall the system doesn't do it for me. You guys have fun!"

And this was Kevin Crawford's response...

"I considered honestly responding but then I realized that the greatest thing you ever produced was the shit that dribbled down your mother's leg while she birthed you."

Credit where credit is due, it's colorful.  But he comes across as a huge jerk.  At first, I assumed maybe it wasn't actually him, or that he was responding to another comment, instead of mine.

And is it just me, or does that sound... illogical?  How exactly am I producing the shit dribbling down my mother's leg while she birthed me?  If anything, that's a product of my mother or the birthing process in general.  I don't think I had any hand in producing the aforementioned dribbling shit.  Oh well.

Then I read another reply from a third party...

"That is definitely the real Kevin Crawford. Most people assume that he's pretty chill, but now you know."

I'm not sure why he was an asshole to me, it could be a variety of little slights which gamers imagine are terrible abuses towards the entire RPG community or whatever.

I'd trash talk him back if I knew more about his game.  Unfortunately, all I know is that it's OSR, scifi, really long at 300+ pages (kind of a deal-breaker for me right there), and extremely popular. Also, the whole Scream thing sound pretty awesome!

Regardless, I'm very proud of my creation, Alpha Blue.  Sure, its audience is a fraction of Kevin's, but it services a niche rarely talked about in RPG circles... rules-light, sleazy, scifi parody.

Alpha Blue has come a long way, boasting a dozen supplements, scenarios, and helpful tid-bits for the BDSM who's brave or insane enough to run something like that.  Check out what Kort'thalis Publishing offers.

To anyone who has a problem with me, what I produce, my mother, or any adjacent dribbling, please come forward, speak your mind.  Let's get it all out in the open. Private resentments, secret harassment campaigns, boycotting, and just bad blood in general - I've suffered through all of them and have come out stronger for it.

Ok, you know where to find me.  Have a great weekend, no matter how much of an asshole you are!  ;)

VS

p.s. This week, I put up two Alpha Blue articles on Draconic Magazine
here and here.  Hope you enjoy them.

Schrodinger's Review

So, Endzeitgeist posted his review of Sexual Predators over on his blog.

There's a few things to say about it, so I'll just dive right in...

Apparently, not having the numbers on a map is a big deal to virtual tabletop gamers.  I knew about secret doors, labels saying "this is a trap right here", and obvious icons like the nuclear hazard symbol, but didn't know that an unnumbered map was even more useful to those folks.

But now I do thanks to Thilo's review and Sexual Predators has an unnumbered Crimson Dwarf map as of last night.  FYI, I'm not so high up in my emerald tower of tentacles that I won't listen to fans of my work.  If you guys want something, first ask me if I can provide it before cursing at the darkness.

Next, I'd like to discuss the title.  Yes, Alpha Blue is a sexual game, Predators is the name of the movie I was referencing and showing in the cover image, so Sexual Predators seemed like the perfect fit.  Indeed, I was also trying to be provocative... but not actually offensive.

For one, the main adventure's antagonist actually is a sexual predator, and the PCs struggle against him and what he represents.  Any RPG title that mentions dungeons or lairs or keeps is inevitably about entering someone else's home, slaughtering them, and stealing their belongings.  I get it, there's a reason we don't title scenarios "Home Invasion Butchery & Theft."  That's an ugly thing to dwell on and we have a host of rationalizations to assuage any negative view of our selves or our characters' actions.  Nevertheless, that darkness is in there.

Sure, there's some deeply unpleasant, not to mention morally repugnant, things associated with "sexual predators;" however, like most English words and phrases, there are a variety of meanings.

Here's the "sexual predators" wiki page and it mentions the really bad stuff like human trafficking.  But it also mentions having to hunt for your sex partners or habitually seeking sexual situations that are self-serving or exploitative.  And it's not always "toxic masculinity" displaying "problematic" behavior towards women.  As we all know, the female of the species can be deadlier than the male.  So, the title is apt in several regards.

I just want to make it clear that when I titled that Alpha Blue scenario Sexual Predators, I wasn't trying to pull off a Tournament of Rapists.  That's a line even I don't want to cross.

Lastly, Endzeitgeist posted his review of Sexual Predators on rpg.net yesterday morning.  Since then, the listing on rpg.net has disappeared, reappeared, and occasionally disappeared with no explanation. When I check the review page (like just now), it shows up.  But the main page shows there are no reviews for Friday, that OSR reviews will resume on Monday.  Likewise, there's no thread in the review board of their forum.

So, it's like the Sexual Predators review both exists and doesn't really exist on rpg.net.  Hence the title of this blog post, Schrodinger's Review.

I'll end by mentioning the continued polarization of the entire world that seems to increase every single day.  It's gone far beyond politics.  It's in everything, and I don't think we can ignore it any longer.  It's gone from existential crisis to palpable atmosphere of fear and hatred and irreconcilable differences.

While I'm fucking sick and tired of it, I can't simply pretend that it'll go away on its own.  Deep, foundational divisions don't get better over time, they only get worse until substantive repairs are made.  And I don't see that happening anytime soon.

VS

THOT Police on DriveThru

Ok, let's take a little break from the drama to celebrate Valentine's Day the old fashioned way - with a sleazy sci-fi scenario!

Yep, I just uploaded THOT Police to DriveThruRPG. It's the second part of a trilogy that began with THOT Audit.

Let me know what you think, and please enjoy...

VS

p.s. There's a Cha'alt easter egg for all you spacers that backed my KS.  ;)

THOT Audit

For many, the phrase "THOT audit" is clear.  Up until a month ago, I didn't know what the Hell that meant.

THOT stands for That Ho Over There (not very flattering, I know, but that's the internet for you).  And it seems that many women exploiting themselves for money online weren't claiming that money on their taxes.  Such is the way of things.

However, some men have reported various women to the IRS... and a few have been audited.  I assume many more in the gray area of sex-work believe they might be next.  Hence THOT audit.

Being the cheeky bastard and headline-ripper that I am, I... commissioned Zoltar Khan Delgado to author a spanking-new Alpha Blue scenario called THOT Audit.  Get your Pay What You Want PDF right over here!!!

It's a one-shot "space dungeon" aboard a cargo freighter filled with aliens, droids, sex, drugs, strangeness, and random tables.

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. David Guyll (check out the man's blog) joins the Kort'thalis Publishing team!  He did the wondrous layout and cartography for THOT Audit.  Expect many more fabulous adventures from him and I quite soon...

Star Trek Discovery: Season One Review

So, there was a lot of polarizing chatter about Star Trek Discovery.  I heard some good things, and a lot of bad things.  Not sure what to believe and wanting to make up my own mind, I ordered season one on DVD.

Speaking of which, it seems like it's fashionable to hate on neat stuff.  There's this, The Predator movie which so many people say is a bad movie when it's actually fantastic, Solo: a Star Wars Story bombed in the theater - and that was a cool flick, and so on. Not sure if it's a sign of the times or something else...

TL;DR: I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Some was great, the rest was pretty good.  Would recommend this to casual scifi fans.

Diving deeper and attempting to make this spoiler-free - but still stream of consciousness random - I liked the strange way the series started.  It was unusual, but easy to understand. 

The pacing was excellent.  I never felt bored, like I was wading through a "filler episode" in order to get to the next good part of the story.

The acting was top-notch.  They really had some great people.  That girl from the walking dead, the older dude from Event Horizon, the awkward redhead, and the really tall alien.  Great job!

The special effects unobtrusive, realistic, and visually fantastic!  The klingons were really cool looking, in my opinion.  I know they don't look like the old school klingons (but wasn't that kind of racist by today's standards?), but now they're like... space orcs, a la Tolkien.  Really big and alien and mean!

And the klingon ship interiors were amazing!  The set design work blew me away...

The story - compelling with a variety of twists.  Some were expected, others surprising!  Discovery turned some predictable Star Trek staples into fascinating story opportunities.

I also enjoyed the lighter bits, unexpected humor. It didn't always work.  Stamets, you're just not funny.  Sorry, dude.  But overall, the brief glimmer of comedy was welcome.  Actually, The Orville isn't that much more of a comedy show than Discovery.  The Orville probably only had 3 or 4 more jokes per episode than this series.

In fact, my biggest gripe is that they didn't show off-ship / non-space environments until the last episode (except that planet with all the trees and swirling fairy dust).  Guess what?  Qo'noS totally reminded me of Alpha Blue - it was low-down, sleazy, and a darkly lived-in locale... which is my favorite type of scifi.

The finale was probably my favorite episode and after seeing how well that went, I regret not having that awesomeness sprinkled throughout season one.  That's a pretty small criticism. 

Before I go, I'd be remiss not to mention politics.  Honestly, I saw the cultural and political reflection in the show's writing, but it didn't bother me.  Those might have been initial inspirations for characters, cultures, and regimes, but at the end of the day, there's only a vague resemblance to what we're going through now.

Yeah, mine might be a minority report, but I'm happy to say that I loved Star Trek Discovery... and in the end, that's the only opinion that matters.  Hmm... perhaps I'm from the mirror universe?

VS

p.s. This little Alpha Blue article over at Draconic Magazine contains at least one little spoiler, but your going to want to use this in your next one-shot or campaign.

The Last Alpha Blue Supplement (softcover walk-through)

I'm in full-Dad mode, but the twins are sleeping and my other dozen and a half children are having their swimming lessons and whatnot.  So, here's a peek at what's inside The Last Alpha Blue Supplement...

You can only get this little baby on Amazon.com!

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. Here's some bonus content just in case you're one of those spacers who likes free stuff.

Sexual Predators PDF

I'm pleased to announce Sexual Predators is live on DriveThruRPG!!!

I put everything I had into this one (uh, I mean... Zoltar Khan Delgado put everything he had into it).

It's what you've come to expect from an Alpha Blue publication... advice, options, artwork, random tables, and a plethora of scenarios (including a real space dungeon)!

In a couple weeks, Sexual Predators will combine with Kobayashi Maroon to form The Last Alpha Blue Supplement softcover over on Amazon.com.

And then it's onto the next chapter in my RPG life... Cha'alt.  However, there will always be a special place in my heart for sleazy scifi.

If you get a chance, please write and post a review!

VS

p.s. Speaking of sleazy scifi, remember this?

Describe Your 2018 Roleplaying in a Word

My wife saw something about describing your year in a single word in one of her FB groups.  Interesting exercise, I thought.

Since this is an RPG blog, I'd like you to describe your 2018 gaming experiences in one word...

That's it.

For me, I'm choosing "sleazy."  Sure, I ran several sessions of D&D over the summer (and those weren't sleazy at all), but I never felt like I hit the right groove with that mini-campaign. 

All my sessions of Alpha Blue were not only easier to prepare and run, but a lot more entertaining.  Plus, the vast majority of my output this year was for the Alpha Blue line. 

So, how about you?

VS

p.s. Almost forgot, zazzle has a 50% off sale on canvas prints (ends tonight)!

Last Piece of the Puzzle

I don't know what other creators do, but these days I like the last thing I write for a big project to be the introduction. 

That might sound counter-intuitive, yet there's method to my madness!  Saving the intro for last allows me to encapsulate the whole in a snapshot.  If I wrote the introduction at the beginning, it would not be a true reflection because all my writing is organic, evolving as it goes.  Whatever I planned on day 1 is not what happens by day 35.

Without further ado, here's a sneak peek at the introduction for the Sexual Predators PDF (available next week) that will soon be included in The Last Alpha Blue Supplement softcover (available just after Thanksgiving)...

So, you purchased this book.  What now?  Well, ideally, you'll use what's in here to create your own simulated reality of starships, lasers, and alien droids with spectacular boobs - far, far away from the mundane world we all know and hope to escape.  

Immersion is key, after all.  However, don't be fooled into thinking that an immersive experience has to be serious or boring and tedious.  We should take immersion seriously, yes.  But experiencing a different reality can be done while ad-riffing off the seat of our pants, quick and dirty hot-takes on what it's like to walk into a nightclub with space disco blaring and reptilian bounty hunters trying to fill out TPS reports before their Zith Lord master comes back from the restroom.

What's new in this PDF (or softcover book combined with Kobayashi Maroon)?  As always, the solar winds of change keep me on my toes.  Just when I think I have the geo-political and social construct models of the entire universe figured out, a Ta'arakian monkey-lizard alters the time-lines, crosses the space-lane streams, and poops in the Purple Prizm punch-bowl.  

The Federation is cracking down on all manner of sexual activity in hopes of creating an egalitarian socialist utopia as inclusive, diverse, and harmless as possible.  The Federation is recruiting hundreds of new planets, and they've learned you'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  Rather than threatening to destroy their world if they refuse to join, it's just so much easier to simply promise them free education, health care, and emotional support animals.  I mean, who wouldn't want a college degree, trips to the doctor, and cuddly kittens with zero personal responsibility?  

The economic plan behind all of this?  Tax the rich, tax the dwindling middle class, and redistribute all the wealth to these newly-established worlds.  Of course, after several years of prosperity, those new planets become old planets which have to pay for newer planets joining the Federation.  And so it goes...

Where was I?  Oh yeah, it's a lack of sex bringing everyone down.  Federation scholars believe that decades of sexual freedom has led to unhealthy levels of filthy klorians, which, in turn, give rise to independent thought, anti-authoritarianism, individualism, free-speech, and slack (self-serving, rather than merely lazy).  Clamp down on the free love and what do you get?  Social scientists have run extensive studies and the data reveals that sex-starved citizens are more docile, trusting, obedient, prone to outrage, and self-censor themselves so as not to offend anyone else in the Federation (comprising sextillions of lifeforms).

That means there's a random hooking-up tax, casually dating tax, booty call tax, glory hole tax, random strangers meeting in a bar tax, ordering a pizza for the sole purpose of getting it on tax, the boss wants his secretary to come into his office for a private chat tax, and so on and so forth.  Ten standard months of sex-based taxation have caused sexual relations among non-committed lifeforms to plummet.  And what little government-approved sex is doled out goes to either long-term relationships or is divided between marginalized groups like the 17th Gender Coalition and citizens who are only interested in sex with Zepe the cyber-prawn.  

It's harder to get a piece of ass in Galaxy 5 than templars worshiping the blue god Viagra!  

And yet, there are points of light in the darkness... Open rebellion against the Federation has caught fire with the outer rim territories.  The Ta'andor galaxy formed its own Deplorable Republic.  The space station of lust Alpha Blue just told the Federation to go fuck itself.  

Unfortunately, the rest of the known universe is still very much under the Federation's thumb.  Everyone is being monitored constantly, and not only monitored but graded on loyalty to the Federation's ever-changing standards and practices.  Those wanting to do their own thing are considered dangerous pseudo-intellectuals, infidels (depending on how much the Federation is cozying up to the Interstellar Caliphate this week), and even space Nazis by those without any sense of history or decency.

If you can stomach the betrayal of everything our forefathers fought and died for, as well as, yet another cold shower (also taxed), then keep shuffling along with your head down and gray bowl of NPC conformity porridge outstretched so the Federation can reward your unwavering devotion with three brand-new fruit-tastic flavors... bubblegum peach, watermelon cherry, and grape prism plus!

Yeah, totally worth it.

______

The Last Alpha Blue Supplement

I'm Kickstarting yet another Alpha Blue project so I can afford to put in tons of original full-color artwork and have dynamite layout and cartography by none other than Gold ENnie winner Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design.

The first PDF is already out - that's Kobayashi Maroon (the one that includes the Blue Balls Tracker).  The second PDF I'm working on now, that's going to be called Sexual Predators.  Combined they will eventually be published as a single softcover called The Last Alpha Blue Supplement.

There's a discount for ordering the softcover if you back the PDFs.

What's it going to have?  All the usual suspects - prose, advice, optional rules, campaign setting, scenarios, random tables, and fantastic artwork (maps too, if we hit the stretch goal).

This is the final supplement I'm releasing, so I'm pulling out all the stops.  Check out the Kickstarter and be sure to tell your friends about it.

VS

p.s. That's a work-in-progress of the cover for Sexual Predators.

Blue Balls Tracker

Admittedly, these are not the best pictures. I took them quickly before running out of the house on my way to work.

But, as you can see - they allow Alpha Blue players to track their characters' blue balls - females, too!  How horny are they?  How desperate?  What kind of bonus (carrot) or penalty (stick) is in store for them?

Like keeping track of a vampire's blood supply, this creates a sense of urgency - it's an incentive to bone!  Sure, there was bonus Health before... but this is better.  At least, I think so.  I've playtested it a few times, and it seems to be a hit with players.

If you're not sure, try it in a demo game and see what happens.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.  Timid players especially will appreciate something in-hand that they can point to and say, "This right here!  This is why my character is chatting up the three-breasted green-skinned babe at the bar.  It's not because I'm a colossal pervert, OK?"

So, if you purchase the Kobayashi Maroon PDF, the Blue Balls Tracker comes with it. 

Both a colored version you can print off and use, as well as, a black and white version that you can color in yourself.  I literally have hundreds of random markers, colored pencils, and crayons all over my house.

Let me know your thoughts.  And happy tracking!

VS

Trinity Going Bye-Bye

In a couple days, I'm taking down both Trinity of Awesome +1 and Trinity of Awesome Returns +1 from Amazon.

In a few weeks, they'll be replaced with a new title (in the case for ToA+1) and new title and altered cover (in the case of ToAR+1).  Plus, the interior will be color.  While the illustrations are all black and white, the blood-spattered parchment color of the internal layout will be present.  I'm sure there will be other little colorful touches in there, as well.

Why the change?  Well, one of my daughters is named Trinity, and my wife believes that anything Alpha Blue is too inappropriate to have her name on it.  At the time, I didn't consciously make the connection, but can see her point.  Changing the titles and that cover art of the 2nd book were concessions I had to make in order to keep my gigantic Alpha Blue canvas print.

Those changes would've had to been made sooner or later, so might as well do it now.  I'll be consulting with Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design on the details.

So, if you want to get one or more books on Amazon before they're gone, do so today or tomorrow.  By Saturday, they'll be gone forever... only to be reborn like a phoenix.  Gaaa!  That's another one of my kids' names.  Damn it.

VS

p.s.  Are you loving Kobayashi Maroon?  If so, please write a review!

Kobayashi Maroon & Alpha Blue Open License

The latest supplement for Alpha Blue is out now!  Grab it here!!!

I hope you show Zoltar Khan Delgado the same love and support you've shown me over the years.  Also, keep the appreciation going for Gold ENnie Winner Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design.  He laid the shit out of this PDF.

Here's the very first review!

But that's not all... I'm officially opening up the license for your very own Alpha Blue scenario, supplement, setting, or sourcebook (the 4 s's)...

From now until the end of 2019, anyone can publish their own work that uses Alpha Blue's name, rules, intellectual property (yes, feel free to borrow Grabba the Butt, Zervalan, filthy klorians, etc.), and logo.

And if you'd like to hit me up for a review or critique at any point in the creation/publishing process, please do so.  I'd love to be a part of your vision!

VS