Lunar Livin'

Found in the wild.  I'm a sucker for cutaway pics.

They make dandy pre-fab dungeon maps!

"BY THE POWERTOOLS OF GORESKULL!!!"

 Here's some more DCC / Umerica / Aetherian dungeons (that also work perfectly for Neon Lords Of The Toxic Wasteland, Planet Motherfucker, and any other gonzocalypse).

Each has "toyetic playset features" and "accessories" to torment players.  And shoddiness is part of their charm!

Umerica Unleashes... THE JUJUBEAMER!!!

Silverscreen procured this from an Aetherian [think "dollar store MOTU"] arms dealer.  Generated via the Umerica Unnatural's "Cache Of Astonishing Salvage -- Rayguns" chart.

The randomly rolled results were the perfect blend of bonkers and thematic, so I christened it with the first thing that popped into my head....

Angled View

THE JUJUBEAMER!!!

Damage:  3d6, Photonic -- 50% chance blasts ignore physical armor (ignores all non-Impervious armor and Impervious armor only counts at ½ value)

Weird Damage:  DC 13 check to avoid instant death via goo-ification!  Turns 'em into li'l chewy gummies!

Range:  50’ long x 10’ wide cone

Ammo:  11 shots, Atomic Battery – fully recharges in 10 mins

Special Ability:  Targeter – adds +1d3 to all attack rolls

GM-Mandated Defect:  Electron-Restrictor Security Feature – can only be wielded 10 minutes (1 Turn ) before requiring a FORT Save at DC 12, with failure indicating user can’t hold gun or anything else for 1d5 mins

Quality:  Good

Rear View (with Targeter)

Side View

Angled View

What A Foe Sees!

"What's Nuked, Scooby-Doomsday?" — Shark-Skis

Artifact:  Shark-Skis

The artifacts known as shark-skis are 10'-long, rocket-powered, metal contraptions used to traverse the high seas.  They are controlled via a combination of foot-triggered gyroscopes and wire "reins", and require a minimum DEX of 14—plus considerable practice—to master.

Shark-skis grant the rider a Swimming movement rate of 240' (80'), and provide no protection from attacks or the elements.

Two shark-skis are required for waterborne travel; the skis won't operate properly as individual units.

Shark-skis can be used offensively.  The rider may make two melee attacks per round with the devices' robotic jaws, each inflicting 3d6 damage.

In this fashion, aqua-pirates, surf-Nazis, and the like use shark-skis to gnaw through boat hulls.

A shark-ski is hollow, and can hold up to 350 pounds of cargo without sinking.  There's enough room inside to conceal a 7'-tall humanoid.

Total cargo weight (including pilot) for a pair of shark-skis can't exceed 1,000 pounds.

Shark-skis can be operated by Pure Humans, Mutant Humans, Androids, and bipedal Mutant Animals.  Mutant Plants find them too cumbersome to control.

—

Inspired by The Scooby-Doo Show episode #31, "The Creepy Case Of Old Iron Face" (1978).

And for the Savage Worlds version, click here!

"What's Nuked, Scooby-Doomsday?" — Fromag

Fromag

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d8)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  1 (club)
Damage:  3d6+5
Save:  L7
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  2,400

Formerly entombed in ice from eons past, the barbarous fromags are prehistoric brutes loosed in the ruins.  They are usually encountered in laboratories, museums, adrift freighters, and clone-based-menageries-turned-ill-conceived-theme-parks.

Fromags are freakishly strong, and capable of rending alloy doors and hurling hefty debris up to 75' (inflicting 4d6 to 6d6 damage to those struck in the process, depending on the object).  They usually just bludgeon targets to paste with their clubs, though.

Fromags fixate on aquatic and aquatic-ish foes, targeting them first in any skirmish.

Mutations:  Reflective Epidermis (Cold)

—

Artifact:  Aqua-Vox

An aqua-vox is a portable Ancient artifact that translates human speech into the language of assorted aquatic species, and vice-versa.

It includes a processing unit with spinning transmitter beacon, an on-board microphone, numerous monitors and buttons, and a headset.

Aqua-voxes work on all manner of sea creatures, including fish, cetaceans, pinnipeds, and turtles.  (The device is nigh-useless on crustaceans, though, as they speak in nothing but profanities.)

And aquatic mutants are generally hostile to "surface worlders" just on principle, what with all the despoiled oceans and all.

—

Inspired by Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! episode #21, "Scooby's Night With A Frozen Fright" (1970).

And for the Savage Worlds version, click here!

Mutants In The News — "(Nuclear) War On Drugs" Edition

Scientists at The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston report that a new drug greatly increases the chances of survival from radiation exposure.

According to the journal article, a single injection of peptide drug TP508 (aka Chrysalin©—ask for it by name!!!) given within 24 hours counteracts the gastrointestinal toxicity associated with radiation exposure.

Yeah, yeah...it currently only works for mice, but give it time!

This is pretty snazzy, particularly as it applies to those supplies scavenged by PCs in radioactive ruins.

I've Always Been A "Signs As Shields" Guy Myself...

...but I'm now a convert for weaponizing them, thanks to this thing of beauty.

Presenting the stop-ax, by artist Brandon Challies, via Larping.Org.

Devastation Drive-In: The Final Chapter — 'Fido' (2006)

Artifact:  Zomcon Corpsecollar

To handle the not-as-infrequent-as-they'd-like uprisings of flesh-hungry ghouls, The Ancients did their best to domesticate the creatures with technological artifacts...

...WHICH OFTEN PROVED AS ERRATIC AS THE SHAMBLING CORPSES THEMSELVES!!

The Zomcon corpsecollar is an Ancient artifact used to control the walking dead [p. 101 of the Mutant Future Core Rules].  When clamped around a ghoul's neck, the device renders its subject docile and compliant.

Collared zombies can follow simple commands, and perform basic tasks without supervision (including gardening, standing guard, collecting refuse, etc.).  The collar also raises (restores?) both intelligence and awareness by slight degrees.

When functioning properly, a corpsecollar's two red lights glow red.

But when the lights go inactive...beware, for the ghoul reverts to its savage, ever-hungry state!

Damage in excess of 3 HP will deactivate a corpsecollar, and necessitate repairs. Accidental jostling and intentional tinkering are also risky, eliciting a malfunction 50% of the time.

Each corpsecollar comes with a hand-held remote-control.  This device sends an electric shock through the collar, and serves to aid in the training of zombies (or outright torture them).

There is evidence to suggest that particularly strong-willed specimens of the walking dead regain shreds of their humanity after long-term exposure to a corpsecollar...and may even remain docile and friendly if the device malfunctions!