Friday, December 9, 2022

"Don't Mess With Wrexus" Redux

Hola amigos.  How's it hangin'?  I know it's been a long time since I rapped at ya, but a lot's been going down in this part of town.  But it's boring and no bueno, so forget I said anything.

Anyhow...

I'm trying to un-rust the ol' gaming gears and do something with Goodman Games' post-apoc gonzofest setting, Umerica.

Good, good stuff.



It combines the Dungeon Crawl Classics chassis with the sensibilities I adore, and I'm adding all my fave inspirations (pictured below) to the brew.

Intro campaign flavor text follows!


Version 2.0!

The One That Started It All































































***


Don’t Mess With Wrexus Redux

At 11:59:59 pm on December 31st, 1999, the world ended.

Bombs dropped.

Reactors popped.

Seas boiled.

Continents roiled.

Phages bloomed.

Radiation 'shroomed.

Toxic waste erupted.

Gene pools corrupted.

Locusts molted.

Apes revolted.

Acids rained.

Mankind insaned.

The moon broke.

The old gods awoke.

And that’s when things got really bad.

For magic thrived and dinosaurs revived.  Monsters unhid and aliens invade-ed.  Kaiju stomped and demons romped.  Angels fell and The Dead rose from Hell.

The old-timers call it Judgment Day; others, Y2K.

More names abound:  The Flush.  The Thunderkiss.  The Reckoning.  The Bigger Bang.  The Great Mistake.  Even TEOTWAWKI.

But the past isn’t important beyond what you can scavenge from the burnt-out malls; what you can refurb from the rusting junkyards; what you can summon from the irradiated graveyards.  Toilet paper and gasoline, bullets and beer:  these are more valuable than all the gold in the cosmos.

Welcome to The Blighted States Of Nightmerica.

Hope you survive the experience.

(And if you don’t?  There’s always undeath!)

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Mutants In The News — "Isn't This What Caused '28 Days Later'?" Edition

I'm rummaging through Ancient boxes, and found this clipping from September 14, 1999.

Retro-news still counts, right?

Because there's all kinds of primate pandemonium possibilities here.  Maybe the phenomenon triggered...

...Y2APE?!!!






Sunday, December 13, 2020

Behold... KRYNNGEENO!!!

 This Aetherian Fightin' Feline used to be female.  Stuff Happend.  Deets to follow.





Behold... CRAYJAX THE MIGHTY!!!

DCC / Umerica hijinks.  Deets to follow.




Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Tales To Flabbergast Presents... ZZZAP, SON OF ZZZAX!!!

ZZZAP, SON OF ZZZAX


STATISTICS
F             GD (10)
A             IN (40)
S             GD (10)
E             IN (40)
R             FB (2)
I              GD (10)
P             FB (2)

Health:  100
Karma:  14
Resources:  TY (6)
Popularity:  5

BACKGROUND
Real Name:  Kevin Collier
Occupation:   Student
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record...yet
Identity:  Secret
Other Known Aliases: None
Place of Birth:  Houston, Texas
Marital Status:  Single
Known Relatives:  Mom, Gary (stepdad), Kid Sis
Base of Operations:  Campaign City, USA
Past Group Affiliations:  None
Present Group Affiliation:  PC Team


KNOWN POWERS
Electric Body:  Zzzap can shift from his human form into a quasi-solid electromagnetic state, providing several advantages and disadvantages, including:
  • Firing electrical bolts of Incredible (40) intensity up to 5 areas away.
  • Delivering a shocking touch of Incredible (40) intensity.  Those grabbed (via a Fighting FEAT to hit), or those that grapple Zzzap, must make an Endurance FEAT at the intensity of the shock or be knocked unconscious in addition to the damage.
  • Making arcing leaps at Remarkable (30) rank.
  • Incredible (40) protection from physical and electrical attacks, and Excellent (20) protection from other energy attacks.
  • Water-based attacks do +2CS damage against Zzzap in his energy form.
Pet—MODOG:  MODOG is the heroic identity of Kevin's bulldog puppy, Grumbles.  The li'l guy wears a headband that generates Mental Force Bolts at Excellent (20) rank at a range of 1 area, and loafs in a levitating pod that floats at Poor (4) rank speed.  Being a puppy of normal intelligence, the li'l guy barely follow's Zzzap's directions.  Stats are F: Fb, A: Pr, S: Fb, E: Fb, R: Pr, I: Pr, P: Pr, H:10, K: 14

Talents:  Student, Television Junkie

Contacts:  None

ADDITIONAL NOTES
Zzzap, Son Of Zzzax dreams of being some combination of skateboard, guitar, and surfing legend, but has never tried any of them.




ROLE-PLAYING NOTES
Zzzap, Son Of Zzzax is a thrill-seeker and a showboat, and needs a strong leadership presence to reign him in.  He's a shoot first, think second kinda hero.

MODOG usually floats on the sidelines, yowling adorably in encouragement.






HISTORY
Layabout and C-student Kevin Collier was on the field trip when the incident at Rick Jones' Locker went down.   Believing it was a Top Secret energy drink, Kevin chugged a bottle labeled "Zzzax Juice", and the results were about as expected.  He also snagged a levitating purple contraption, thinking it was a futuristic ashtray he could give to his stepdad for Father's Day.  Turns out it made a sweet flying bed for Grumbles!





FROM THE BULLPEN!
The instant Theron, Official Friend Of The Field Guide mentioned his "Rick Jones" idea is the same instant Zzzap, Son Of Zzzax was born.  The electrical boy and his barely-psychic dog exploded into my head like thunderbolts.  I've been dying to play Zzzap in a superhero gameANY superhero gamefor over a decade. 

In the intervening years, I've learned that there's a character named Zzzap in the Ex-Heroes novel franchise, and a MODOG popped up in official Marvel continuity.  But mine were first, damn it!  
Here's even some doodles from years ago!






I finally rolled up Zzzap in the old-school Marvel rpg, and, yeesh.  The dice were brutal, with an 84, 21, 39, 05, 78, 01, and 33, translating to Incredible, Good, Good, Feeble, Remarkable, Feeble, and Good.  TWO FEEBLES?!!!  GAH.

After much agonizing, I decided to make Reason and Psyche the dump-stats to represent having his brains scrambled by villainous energies.

Hey, there's precedent.




SIX DEGREES OF...
  • Zzzax is a major Hulk enemy --> Rick Jones!!!