If the end of winter is doing anything for me, it's unveiling blogging posts that are giving me some inspriation, which has been lacking for the last few weeks *cough* months *cough*
Lead Legionaires posted a great AAR for Critter Control's Shocking Encounter at the Trailer Park, using the solo rules of Majestic 13, an alien hunting game from Snarling Badger Studios. The game looks fun the shots were great, and the terrain board is simply outstanding.
After doing the #CharacterCreationChallenge for January, I anticipated catching up on a few posts, including a few quick wargaming AARs, a full return to the Gamma World actual plays, and, of course, fulling embracing the fun that is #ZineQuest.
And then NukeTown had to reference the #RPGCampaignTour Challenge early enough to catch up within February. Twenty-six of the prompts were answered, with me using AI to figure out topics I more preferred to write about. I chalk it up to as a success. It supplanted a very lackluster #ZineQuest, in my opinion, helped hammer out some details and ideas about my Gamma World campaign, and allowed for some great bonding time with my players as they reminisced about almost 130 episodes at the time.
At last we've finally reached the end with Day 28 of the #RPGCampaignTour for my Gamma World campaign "This Is Not a Test". We end the challenge with another interview question directly to my players: Our imaginary tourists to the campaign asking, " Is there anything we should know before we head home?"
Collectively: "The longer you stay, the more you realize the atomic weapons of the ancients are far more prevalent than imagined!"
Gamma World (and the secondary sources I'm pulling for inspiration) more than suggests that nuclear war plunged the world into darkness and chaos, with wild transformation that would make Godzilla seem mundane. The number of times atomic/nuclear devices are used as a plot device as well makes the possibility of a second war... or at least a "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" ending is quite likely.
At least all of them have been partial or mini-bombs. Civilization still has a slim chance of moving into the next century
Day 27 of the #RPGCampaignTour for my Gamma World campaign "This Is Not a Test", and the players were tasked away with answering the inquiry: "Do you have any amusing anecdotes from the campaign
Sonny and Pete recommend the Invisible Airlords from episode #95 - The Charcuterie Toll, which will be taken care of in a episode scheduled to be published later this year.
Lathar amusing anecdote is from the Stone Pavilion storyline, especially where the Children's Alchemical Laser turned his body into what would be best described as a Werther's Original. I'd start with episode #49 through 57, it's a quick read.
And Squiggles wants to talk about the secret underground worm orgies that happen during the Queen's Joust in Fair-Town, but I have to draw the line somewhere.
Day 26 of the #RPGCampaignTour for my Gamma World campaign "This Is Not a Test", and again I turn to my players in an interview for "Are there any dramatic events from the campaign you can share?"
First Place: Sonny Saving Lathar
Lathar Bracken was a pure-strain human who had no such stringent requirements when it came to his women... or his liquor.
During a wintertime stop at Fair-Town, Lathar had gotten plenty drunk and began wandering the streets. Sonny, the groups educated mutant sunflower, was the only one awake to notice that he wasn't in his room, and he tried his best to follow his tracks.... It was a comedy of errors, including discovering that he had challenged his ex-girlfriend, the blue skinned Kirothian leader, Elona, to a duel! Thankfully she just called him an idiot and he wandered off, with a group called the Pathfinders. Upon finding this group and invited to a bonfire and drinking, Sonny learns that they've stripped the poor human naked, strapped him to the front of a side-by-side ATV and were about to drive him off as a sacrifice to something called the "Pathinfinder Run"
Runner Up - Squiggles, our Mutant Earthworm friend, still armed with a flintlock and a superscience weight belt used in warehouses, had suffered some grievous wounds while the group explored "Rho Facility." But, as luck would have it, the had also befriend a piece of Living Metal named RHA-9, obviously an artificial medic with all its syringes and liquids.
Squiggles was the most wounded so they let the Living Metal go to town. A few injections later, Squiggles suffered horrible bouts of screaming, but was miraculously healed.... and grew a layer of shaggy fur....
Day 25 of the #RPGCampaignTour for my Gamma World campaign "This Is Not a Test", and the desire for commerce is there, "Where can I do some shopping."
In this world, the shopping bug might be quench by the Fair-Town Bug Mart.
The Bug Mart is simply a flea market, on the still fairly level macadam of an ancient schools. While the Queen's Joust is once a year, the bug mart is every week, folks bringing in crafts, but mainly the odd artifacts they've uncovered . Odd dishes, weird containers, a box of Western Pacific breakers? Definitely.
It's unlikely, but you might get your hands on something cool, like a glow suit, before the agents of the Restorationists sweep down and clean out the too valuable stuff.
Like I mentioned yesterday Day 24 of the #RPGCampaignTour for my Gamma World campaign "This Is Not a Test", is something that I wasn't prepared for, and, to be honest, I find somewhat boring, "What Are the Major Imports? "
And like yesterday, I plugged the rest of the challenge prompts into Chat GPT and asked for a new topic/question for Day 24.
It generated "Contraband and Chaos" and I must approve.
For a region that prides itself on peace and quiet first, and law and order second, the corridor hides a surprisingly vibrant shadow economy.
Riverbend’s Quiet Trades
Riverbend was a lot of artifacts go through the town, mostly through the doors of the Restorationists. Many times these Restorationists seem to lose said artifacts, or claims they never arrived at all. The question being begged? Where are these items going, who are they helping, or are they simply hoarding them in an undisclosed location.
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| A bunch of simple farmers with a knack of finding artifacts.... |
And then, of course, there are those dealing with artifacts that never end up in the hands of the Restorationist. Like Boson Higby, who runs a neighborhood over the hills from Riverbend prime. He handles a lot of commodities, and uses rarely trodden paths to move items from place to place. He knows more about the region (and what lies beyond) than most.
He may still have an odd suit of armor which fell from the sky in the past year, interesting markings and all.
There is only a community of farmers actively trying to breed different species for larger creatures to produce wool.
Fair Town’s Invisible Market
The Bug Mart is the most famous market, but "Invisible Market" is one exploiting the corruption of the bureaucracy.
Manipulated arbitration by town barristers
Selective enforcement contracts by officials
Caravan cargo misreporting
Quiet resale of confiscated goods
While knowledge is most valuable at KIA, The most valuable contraband in Fair Town is information — advance knowledge of tariffs, inspections, and rulings.
KIA Academy's Restricted Archives
The Academy appears to be the true protectors of knowledge. Their techniques and protocols appear to preserve knowledge responsibly.
The archives in the upper levels have great files on transportation technology. But there are some deeper and darker wings of the archive are sealed for good reason, possibly:
Weapons technology that has not been destroyed.
Political pamphlets and literature that could destabilized portions of the complex.
Gene-editing manuals from before regulatory collapse
Day 25 : Where can I do some shopping?
