Runepunk Steamquest?
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ROLLSPEL ROLLSPELSRUNOR TEXT PETE NASH RUNEPUNK BILD KRISTOFFER ENGSTRÖM STEAMQUEST? teampunk is a genre which tradi- Fashion, weapon laws, social rank, met- tionally identifies itself with steam hods of transport, communication types, pos- powered technology, although this is sible sexual or racial inequality, transportable a bit of a misnomer. Most Steampunk wealth and even the level of governmental Ssettings are actually alternate histories or authority are all aspects which need to be con- fantasies based around the technology and sidered. Beyond the obvious cultural founda- cultural etiquette of the Victorian period. tion, Game Masters must also contemplate Using these technological anachronisms the whether there will be any paranormal aspects genre has spread to include the American to the campaign setting. For instance will ‘Wild West’, and can be applied to almost there be monsters or creatures of the night? any Fantasy or Sci-Fi setting; for example the Such nightmarish beings might the result long-vanished Dwemer of the Elder Scrolls of early genetic breeding programs, akin to computer games. the human-animal monstrosities created An important aspect of Steampunk is that by H. G. Well’s Dr Moreau. Conversely they the technology is not just limited to the use might be reanimated creatures as raised by of steam power. It often includes primitive Mary Shelley’s eccentric Victor Frankenstein. electrical devices, such as the sodium battery Science in fact need not be responsible since driven engines of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus, nature itself might already provide sapient lightning projected from Tesla Coils, and all animals akin to the polar bears of Philip sorts of wonderful electro-magnetic gadgets. Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ series or The other primary technology is that of clock- classical monsters like werewolves or Bram work devices, from which marvellous auto- Stoker’s Dracula. More fantastical settings matons, difference engines and other Heath might even include dragons as per Naomi Robinson style contraptions can be fashioned. Novik’s Temeraire series or the Girl Genius Whilst many of the imagined devices are web comics. potentially possible to build, their motivating Another paranormal aspect to consider is power is ultimately fantastic, requiring either the inclusion of the occult arts of Spiritualism a continuous supply of combustible material, and Parapsychology. The former utilises the or some other pseudo-scientific fuel. An ex- Animism rules to communicate and intercede ample of this would be radium infused coal with the spirits of the dead. Incorporating the which releases far greater heat when burned, arts of mediums naturally leads to the invol- or for settings with more of a supernatural vement of ghosts which would add an additio- element, the conversion of animal or human nal dimension to a campaign. Parapsychology souls for energy! permits addition of mind powers such as Technical explanations aside, the most precognition, clairvoyance or even telepathy important aspects of a Steampunk themed – all of which can be replicated using the Mys- game are Setting Choice, Character Genera- ticism rules. Of course, neither Spiritualism tion and the Equipment player characters can nor Parapsychology need have any basis of use or even create. reality in the campaign, instead merely being the artifice of confidence tricksters. SETTING CHOICE The first thing to consider when creating CHARACTER GENERATION a Steampunk campaign for RuneQuest, is The normalRuneQuest 6 character genera- what period or location in which to place it. tion rules can easily create player characters Although Neo-Victorian games lend them- suited to a Steampunk campaign. Simply selves to the period of romanticism and remove the magical skills related to Folk Ma- industrial revolution within Europe, a Wild, gic, Sorcery and Theism. Although nothing Wild West style campaign would necessarily actually stops characters from being stage be limited to the gun-toting anarchy of 19th prestidigitators or priests if they select the century Americas. Such regional selections profession, magic should not be available have a very dramatic effect on the culture to them. the players will face, and by necessity have Passions should be revised to match the to interact with. culture the characters originate from. Sir 40 RUNEPUNK STEAMQUEST? William Fopsworthy, a civilised British gent- • Lore (Specific Science) – Permits the inclusion of leman, might possess Love (Lady Emma CONSTRUCTING DEVICES an unusual Creature Ability (seeRuneQuest Smyth-Green) the object of his unrequited Engineering is the primary skill required to pages 312-317) relevant to the specified adoration, Hate (Lord Heinrich Battenburg) devise new Steampunk equipment. However, science into the device for every full 20% in who seeks to plunge central Europe into war an engineer cannot simply design anything the skill, subject to Game Master approval. using his fiendishly designed clockwork imaginable, but must have knowledge of the soldiery, and Loyalty (Queen Victoria and precise sciences upon which the final mach- None of the individual Lore skills can be the Empire). ine is based. This is represented by different utilised at a greater level than the capping Lore skills should of course be updated to Lore skills as listed, each permitting the value of the designer’s Engineering skill, but more modern specialisations, whilst Combat device an increasing level of sophistication. there is no limit to the number of sub-skills Styles can be revised so that they include incorporated into the project. The total value weaponry suited to the period. Settings in- of all the Lore skills used to create the design cluding pistols and other modern weaponry Lore Specialities: is the time in days it takes for the schematics can easily use the free-to-download Firearms • Lore (Animus) – Only utilised for the construc- to be conceived and ironed-out. supplement at the Design Mechanism web- tion of automatons, the animate device can Once the design period is finalised, a roll site (http://www.thedesignmechanism.com/downloads.php). be programmed with one skill (starting at must be made against Engineering to see Two skills gain more importance however. base value) per 10% known in Lore (Ani- if the blueprints are drawn up correctly. A Mechanisms should be renamed to Mecha- mus). Once functional the skills of the au- normal success means the plans can be nics, and this combined with Engineering are tomaton can be improved by an engineer used to build a copy of the device, whilst heart and centre of a Steampunk campaign; investing their own Experience Rolls. a critical success implies the final design at least one which focuses on utilising such • Lore (Architecture) – Permits the device to be exceed expectations, gaining a 10% bonus technology. Mechanics permits the repair and constructed at larger scale than normal. to its relevant capabilities. Failure means a maintenance of mechanical devices, from The maximum SIZ it can reach is equal to fundamental flaw was discovered and the airship engines to clockwork automatons. the value of Lore (Architecture), granting designer must return to the drawing board. A Engineering on the other hand represents it a bonus to its final Hit Points. fumble on the other hand indicates a chronic the ability to comprehend the processes • Lore (Destruction) – Utilised only for destruc- or deadly flaw exists, but won’t be discovered behind, and architectural design of, actual tive automatons or weapons, the device until the machine is built and activated for mechanical devices. inflicts ranged damage based upon on the the first time. value of Lore (Destruction). For projectile After the blueprints are drawn up, it must weapons, damage is 1d6 at 01-20%, 1d8 at still be built. This relies on engaging cha- EQUIPMENT 21-40%, 1d10 at 41-60%, 1d12 at 61-80%, racters possessing the Mechanics skill and In any sort of campaign where technological 2d6 at 81-100% and progresses as per having access to the necessary tools and equipment can provide significant new abi- the Damage Modifier table (RuneQuest raw materials needed to build the device. lities, care has to be taken so that these giz- page 13) for each 20% thereafter. Energy In some circumstances this might take the mos and gadgets do not supplant the player weapons such as Tesla Rays or Lightning entire output of a factory. Construction takes characters’ own skills. Thus an ornithopter Projectors follow the same pattern but an amount of time equal to the design phase, backpack or one-man aerostat might provide start at 1d2 at 01-20%. Unlike projectiles divided by one tenth of the Mechanic’s skill. flight to its user, but require a Pilot (Drive) however, energy weapons are not stopped The finished device ends up with a total skill to actually control. Similarly mechani- by armour. SIZ equal to one tenth of the totalled Lore cal Steampunk weapons may be capable of • Lore (Energy) – Controls how many hours or skills used to design it, except of course for tremendous destruction, but still necessitate shots the device operates for before nee- Lore (Architecture) which instead supplants a successful Combat Style roll to trigger cor- ding a rewind, recharge or refuelling. The this value if the engineer wishes the machine rectly. Equipment grants the opportunity to maximum number of charges is equal to to be larger. By default, the device gains a use skills, never replace them. the value of Lore (Energy). In the case of number of Hit Points equal to one fifth its SIZ. Another aspect of Steampunk technology projectile or energy weapons, the device In the specific case of automatons designed is its gratuitous weight and bulk. This is in may simultaneously expend a number of to physically move heavy objects or smash part a reflection of needing large capacitors, charges equal to one twentieth of this skill, things with their own limbs, they only use complex clockwork or steam engines to po- each ‘shot’ affecting a different target.