Back Dungeon World

I backed Dungeon World on Kickstarter! I have heard great things about the game. I think it will help scratch the itch to play some D&D (which, unfortunately, D&D Next, based on the initial playtest documents, did not).

"A Day at the Mall" – An RPG Module

I wrote this bare-bones module many years ago as an introduction to GURPS. It is ... interesting ... I had a strange fixation with fertility apparently. I want to edit the content and turn it into a stand-alone game. This is inspired by the excellent Lady Blackbird. I probably will not use the system in Lady Blackbird. I have been kicking around my own system ...


It is presented below without editing:

A Day at the Mall

BACKGROUND

In the Time After the Final War, the world has suffered greatly. Humanity lives in isolated pockets of "civilization." Very few people (or animals, for that matter) are fertile and even those who are often produce mutants. Those who are fertile are called "breeders" and are protected as they are the future of humanity. The population is approximately 40% female and only approximately 25% of them are breeders. Among males, only 50% of them are breeders. The only way to tell if a person is fertile is for those people to have a baby. This has lead to only the select males being given the opportunity to breed. It has also lead to a short engagement period during which the couple attempts to get pregnant. Only after pregnancy is the couple allowed to marry. Mutants (at least those with visible or known mutations) are banished to the Wasteland – if not killed outright.

One such pocket of civilization is the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind. The kingdom is ruled by Chief Engineer and King Gear XVII and Queen Gaan. The Valley is surrounded by giant wind turbines from the Time Before that supply energy to the Valley and surrounding, slavish kingdoms. The energy is used to drive the water pumps which draw clean water from a deep water table. The pumped clean water is used to irrigate the Valley. Without the pumped water it would be impossible to survive in the Valley.

Unfortunately, even the king′s family is not immune to the mutant problem. The king′s first–born, Orilon, mutated at puberty and was banished to the Wasteland. Furthermore, there is a persistent rumor that Crown Prince Hebrus, a known philanderer, is infertile and, thus, unfit to rule.

Recently, the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind established contact and diplomatic relationships with the Kingdom by the Sea. To cement those relationships a princess, Doris, of the line of Admiral and King Oceanus XIII was sent to the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind to become engaged to Crown Prince Hebrus.

BRIEFING

Princess Doris of the Kingdom by the Sea was being escorted to the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind by Royal Marines from the Kingdom by the Sea and King′s Guardsmen from the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind to her engagement to Crown Prince Hebrus. The party was traveling on a road that brought them close to the southern edge of the Wasteland. It was near the Wasteland that the party was attacked by the Dark Army and the princess captured – so gasped the sole remaining King′s Guardsman with his dying breath. The princess was captured five rotations (read "days") ago. It is a hard two-rotation ride on a fast strider to the Forbidden City – home to the Dark Army. It is your job to rescue the princess.

CHARACTERS

DYNE, King′s Master–of–Arms

WHAT YOU SEE: You are a tall (6′ 2"), well–built (200 lbs.) man. It is impossible to miss the patch covering your left eye. Your numerous scars stand out on your sun–tanned skin. You keep your remaining gray hair close–cropped. As a modest display of your mastery, you wear (and fight with) two swords.

WHY YOU ARE HERE: Your involvement in this rescue mission can be characterized by one word – DUTY. Your duty to your King and your kingdom is your sole motivator in life.

DYNAMO, King′s Guardsman and daughter of Dyne

WHAT YOU SEE: You are a tall (6′), slim (140 lbs.), attractive woman with long, wavy red hair and green eyes. You very rarely sit still. You must be doing something. It does not really matter what. And, whatever you are doing, you are fully involved.

WHY YOU ARE HERE: Your involvement in this rescue mission can also be characterized by one word – FATHER. Your father′s opinion of you is all that matters. He was disappointed when you were repeatedly unable to bear children but that disappointment seemed to evaporate when you enlisted in the King′s Guard.

BETO, ex-communicated Warrior–Priest of the Order of the Life–Wind

WHAT YOU SEE: You shave your head as well as your face. You have a tattoo of a tri-sected circle on your forehead. The tri-sected circle is the symbol of your order. Your order worships an aspect of Aer, goddess of the Wind. "The Wind is Life." Your ice-blue eyes burn with an inner fire. You are a tall (6′2"), slim (170 lbs.) but well–muscled man. You do not willingly part with your mace; it is how you deal with the mutant undead – an abomination in the eyes of Aer!

WHY YOU ARE HERE: Crown Prince Hebrus is unfit to rule – he is infertile. It was your obligation to speak to the people so that the Kingdom of the Valley of the Wind would not lose the favor of Aer. The people marched on the castle in righteous indignation but were stopped by the King's Guard. For this, you were wrongly excommunicated, convicted of treason, and sentenced to death. You have agreed to this mission because after you rescue the princess and the crown prince fails to impregnate her you will be proven right. You will have saved the Valley of the Wind.

NIMBLE, master thief

WHAT YOU SEE: You are a man of average height (5′6") and slim build (125 lbs.). You have long brown hair and a goatee. Your brown eyes dart everywhere – missing nothing. Your nimble hands are constantly busy with a coin or a knife or ... something.

WHY YOU ARE HERE: You were caught stealing – again! This time someone was killed by your partner, Thunk the Outlander. Unfortunately for the two of you, he was one of the Royal Engineers. This time not even the fact that you are a proven breeder saved you. You were convicted and sentenced to death. If you complete this mission, your sentence will be commuted and you can return to your pregnant wife.

THUNK, Outland barbarian

WHAT YOU SEE: Your massive body (400 lbs.) towers above (8′) most puny humans! Your long blond hair is in multiple braids that fall about your shoulders. Your green eyes are fierce. You are an Outlander – called a barbarian by these so–called civilized people. Your great axe gives you a wide berth.

WHY YOU ARE HERE: You were acting as muscle for your partner, Nimble, on a job. It would have been routine if the damn Royal Engineer had not pulled a Time Before gun on you! You were convicted and sentenced to death. If you complete this mission, your sentence will be commuted and you and your sister will be allowed to return to the Outlands.

ARCHER, exiled mutant Wasteland survivor

WHAT YOU SEE: You are tall (5′ 10") and solid (180 lbs.). Very little of you can be seen under the voluminous robes that you wear but, occasionally, glimpses of your mutations are seen: a patch of fur, a glint of your long canines in your muzzle, your eyes which are so like a wolf′s eyes, or, perhaps, your clawed hands. Very seldom is your bow far from your hands.

WHY YOU ARE HERE: Even though you are only seen as less than human, you still feel some obligation to humanity.