Character: Spirit-Of-The-Air

Here's a player character I've been working on for Deadlands: Reloaded.


Spirit-Of-The-Air (WC)



Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d6

Skills: Guts d8+1, Streetwise d4+2, Persuasion d4+2, Fighting d6, Tribal Medicine d6, Survival d4, Tracking d4, Healing d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6

Charisma 2, Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5, Grit 1, Power Points 15

Hindrances: Old Ways Oath, Poverty, Vow: Fight the Ravenites..
Edges: Attractive, Arcane Background (Shamanism).

Powers: Armor, Healing.

Gear: Tomahawk: d4+d4*, Bow: 2d6, Arrow (×20).

Background: Since a young girl, Spirt-Of-The-Air has shown that the nature spirits where with her. Going against tribal tradition, Spirit was taught the great medicine to help heal and protect her people. Although she was betrothed to Running Eagle, another shaman, her heart belonged to Sharpened Stone, a brave who she had grown up with. When she discovered that her husband-to-be was a Ravenite, she exposed him to her tribe's elders. Before he could be executed, Running Eagle escaped and returned with other traitors armed with fire sticks and iron weapons. After overwhelming her tribe's camp and killing the rest of her people, Running Eagle tied her to a pole to left her to die of hunger and exposure. She escaped her bounds and on the grave of her lover she swore would use her powers to help oppose Raven and followers.

Greetings Savages!

Welcome to The Savage Blogger, a web log dedicated to the Savage Worlds role playing game by Pinnacle Entertainment!

I had been following the development of Savage Worlds since 2003 when I heard that Pinnacle was taken it's "Great Real Wars" wargaming rules and using them as a basis for a role-playing game. Having enjoyed GRW, I was intriqued. I picked up the first Savage Worlds game after it's release, and I've never regretted it. Right now, I'm trying to get my RPG group interested; I've already tried one game of Deadlands: Reloaded and there is talk of giving Slipstream a try. I'm also interested in Shaintar, Ravaged Earth, and--when they come out--Realms of Cthulhu and Mars. I'm also working on some material of my own that I want to try out. (Who knows? I might roll the dice and see if I can get them published.)

Here I intend to post reviews, setting musings, game reports, news tidbits, characters, and anything else that would be of interest to a SW fan. If you have any ideas of your own, don't hesitate to e-mail me at siefertma@wi.rr.com.

In the meantime, hold on Savages, it's going to be quite a ride!

Greetings Fellow Savages!

A few years ago I heard about a

Traveller and the "State Of the Mongoose" Address.

Matt Sprange, grand guru supreme at Mongoose Publishing, released this year's "State Of The Mongoose" address and there are some great things in store for Traveller fans in 2009:

• Expect more career books with titles such as Scondrel and Agent
  
• There will be two vehicle books (both civilian and military) slated complete with a construction system.
• The first of the two Aliens books are scheduled for Aslan and Zhodani. These books are planned on being 200+ page hardcovers.
• Classic OTU adventures and new campaigns are in the works.
• David Drake's Hammer's Slammers will be released as a Traveller setting! All I can say is "AWESOME!"
• Along with the already-planned Strontium Dogs setting from 2000AD Comics, Judge Dredd will become a Traveller setting. ("I AM DUH LAW!")
• Sad news everyone: while the The Universe Of Babylon 5 , the B5/Traveller sourcebook, is scheduled to come out this month, Mongoose will be dropping the B5 liscense in 2009.
  

X-Boat Delayed.

Sorry, I've been neglecting my Traveller blogging duties, but life has been... sigh.

Anyway a few things:

• You'd like to know how my games at RockCon went? Don't ask. I essentially spent both of my slots sitting by myself waiting for players who never appeared. It was a waste of time to say the least.
• I'll be running my Aliens scenario at RPGBomb.com Games Day Milwaukee at Adventures In Gaming this weekend. Since it's a much smaller venue I think there might be a better chance to get some players.
• Mongoose has just released its "State Of The Mongoose" statement. I'll make some comments about it above.
  

Traveller At RockCon

As promised--or threatened, depending on your point of view--I'm running a couple of Traveller games at RockCon, in Rockford, IL this weekend (10/24-10/26). I'll be running the following games:

Saturday: 7 pm-11 pm

Taveller: Yet Another Bug Hunt.

All right marines, listen up! Our orders are to boost to some little rock owned by Weyland-Yutani.... Yeah, yeah, I know, "Building better worlds..." right! They lost contact with a group of corporate eggheads and one of the researches just so happens to be the kid of a US senator. Could be a downed transmitter, could not, but it's our job to find out! So stow you're gear and write your e-mails home, 'cause the L-T wants us in freezers at 1700! Dismissed!

Sunday: 9 am-1 pm

Traveller: The Starchild

There you are: Stuck with your crew on some backwater planet with no job, no ship, and no prospects. You running short on funds and the TAS hostels you're crashing at are getting progressively raunchier. Somethings gotta happen soon, right? Play the new Traveller, the classic game of sci-fi role playing, now published by Mongoose Publishing.

One thing I'd like to do is start a block of events dedicated to all things Traveller (RPGs, miniature games, etc) at RockCon. This year I'm going to have to start with just two events, but if local gamers are interested, I could see this growing into something bigger.

Of course, I'll bring a camera along to record the festivities.

Still transmitting!

Yes, we're still alive. Things are so hectic at work that I the only thing that I can do when I get home is veg-out rather than blog. So hang tright Travellers, there is more to come.

2300 AD and Traveller

As some of us know, Mongoose Publishing has released Traveller under a D20-esque open game license, allowing fans to produce their own material for this fantastic game. (I might do it myself if I can come up with some material worthy of publication.) Meanwhile, Colin Dunn, who wrote 2320 AD, the long-awaited sequel to GDW's other science fiction rpg, has decided to no longer work with QuikLink Interactive. It seems he wasn't happy that Hunter Gordon has been waiting over 6 years to publish his work in something other than a "pre-release" PDF available at rpgnow.com and drivethrurpg.com.

All I can see is that I can't say I blame him.

It didn't take long for someone to post a suggestion on the Mongoose Publishing forums that the new home of Traveller to pick up the liscense for this game and release it as a new Traveller setting. Colin, who has taken refuge on Mongoose's forms, has said:

And as to how likely a 2300AD-Traveller conversion is, all I can really say at this moment is: wait-and-see.

And....

Well, it truly is wait-and-see. There has been communication, generally positive, but no offers or decisions have been made, by either me or Mongoose. While I would likely be interested, it depends on what else is going on for me at the time. There are things that I would like to do that I never got a chance to do with 2320AD (like actually see it in print), and supplements and expansions, but it's wait-and-see for me, too.

Personally, I would love to see 2300 AD revived via Traveller. It's my favorite hard sci-fi setting, but I just couldn't rap my head around the original, ultra-crunchy rules. Since 2300 AD and Traveller stem from the same source (Games Designers Workshop), it's only fitting to finally bring these two properties together.

I recommend that you give Colin Dunn your support, and let Matt Sprange know that you want to see 2300 AD in the Mongoose line up!

Attention Milwaukee Area Travellers!

While I've got my own face-to-face bi-weekly Traveller group that meets in an undisclosed location somewhere in the state of Wisconsin, every two weeks just isn't enough! That's why I'm going to start a second group that will meet at Adventures In Gaming in Milwaukee.

I'm shooting for Wednesday or Thursdays starting 6 pm and running to 10-11 pm, Sunday afternoons are also an option. We'll be using the new Mongoose version of the Traveller rules. For more information, contact me directly at siefertma@wi.rr.com. I'll also post other fliers at the store.

Character: Yaralaklaa Hruth, Naval Gunner

Here's my latest character for an upcoming campaign:

Yaralaklaa Hruth:

7B8AAA (Charisma replaces Social Status)
Race: Vargr, Sex: Female, Age: 30, Homeworld: Junidy, Rank: 3 (Petty Officer, 2nd Class)

Skills: Comms 0, Computers 0, Engineering (Electronics) 1, Gunner (Turrets) 2, Gun Combat (Beam Pistol) 0, Mechanic 2, Natural Weapons 0, Pilot (Small Craft) 1, Streetwise 0, VaccSuit 1, Zero-G 0.

Term 1: Enlisted, Survied, Promoted (Able Spacehand), Military Engagement.

Term 2: Survived, Promoted (Petty Officer, 3rd Class), Life Event (Improved Relationship).

Term 3: Survived, Promoted (Petty Officer, 2nd Class, Military Engagement

Muster Out Benefits: +1 Edu, TAS Membership, Weapon (Laser Pistol), 55,000 Crds.

Yaralaklaa Hruth was born to a prosperous merchant family on the bustling Imperial Way Station of Junidy (Spinward Marches, Aramis, B434ABD 9 S). After she lost her father to corsairs, Yaralaklaa swore that she would do what she could to help clear the spaceways of piracy. When she was of age, she joined the Navy where her dexterity and quick mind made her a prime candidate for gunnery. She distinguished herself in battle many times, becoming a crack starship turret gunner in the process. Along the way, she met, fell in love with, and took a respectable merchant pilot, A Raggathresh Brarak, as her mate. After finishing her final term in the navy, she rejoined her husband where to the two look to their future.... whatever that maybe.

Traveller Trailer

Andrew Boulton has created a series of well-made Traveller-related mini-movies. Here's a clip you can send to your friends to get them interested in the game:

Rumblefish Class System Defense Boat

Back in the heady days of my first Traveller campaign (i.e. the infamous Ursula T20 IRC campaign) our party obtained possession of an advanced, sleek, and deadly 200 dTon system defense boat, or "pocket battlerider" since it was designed to be dropped off in-system via a jump-capable tender. This little ship has gotten us through one or two firefights, and now that Mongoose Traveller is being released, I'd like to pay homage to that campaign with my own version of this feisty little boat.

(Image by Artist Extraordinaire, Bryan Gibson and used with permission.)

Using Liam Devlin's original design, I tried to match it to Mongoose Traveller as closely as I could. I'm waiting for their new High Guard supplement so I can modify it further (I have to use up some of that cargo space!) but this should do for now.

Hull	200 dTons Streamlined	Hull 4 Structure 4		8.8 Mcr
Armor	Bonded Superdence, Reflec	12	20	10 Mcr
Maneuver Drive	Drive F	Thrust 6	11	24 Mcr
Power Plant	Plant F		19	48 Mcr
Bridge			10	1 Mcr
Computer	Model 6, fib	Rating 30		30 Mcr
Electronics	Advance Military Sensors	+1 DM	3	3 Mcr
Weapons
	Hardpoint 1	Double Fixed Mount (2x Particle Beams)		8.5 Mcr
	Hardpoint 2	Triple Turret (3x Missile Rack)	1	3.75 Mcr
Fuel		4 weeks	24
Cargo	94 tons*
Staterooms	4	Double Occupancy	16	2 Mcr
Extras	Fuel Scoops
	Ship's Locker
Software
	Evade/2			2 Mcr
	Fire Control/2			4 Mcr
	Intellect			1 Mcr
	Library
	Maneuver

Maintenance Cost (monthly)	12,004 Cr
Life Support Cost (monthly)	8000 Cr
Total Tonnage and Cost	200 dTons, 146,050,000 Cr

This is my first foray in creating ships in Mongoose Traveller, but feel free to double check and critique my design.

4518 Lift Infantry

Fellow Traveller Clambo has posted these awesome pictures of his 15mm miniature rendition of the Regency's 4518 Lift Infantry (from Traveller: The New Era):


The vehicles are from Ground Zero Games (I NEED to get some of these babies.) and the infantry are classic RAFM Traveller figs that are available once again!

"Hang On Travellers!"

Welcome to The Traveller Downport, a blog dedicated to everything related to Marc Miller's classic science fiction role-playing game, Traveller. Herein, I'll post Traveller-related news, reviews, and opinion, as well as new characters, ships, aliens, equipment, planets that I use in my own campaigns.

Speaking for myself, I've been a gamer since I was 12 years old when I picked up a copy of Star Frontiers from the discount bin at my local Toys R Us (this is back when Toys R Us actually stocked RPGs). I have only been a Traveller player for the last few years when I first picked up Traveller 20 and signed on with my first IRC campaign. Since then, I've looked into all of the other variants of Traveller, from the classic "Little Black Books" to Mongoose's new version (the best, in my opinion) and I'm always on the look out for more.

So, strap on your cutlass, load up your autopistol, and settle in for jump... it's going to be a long ride.

Hello? Hello?

Hey all! I'm still alive, I've just a lot of real life issues get in the way lately. Expect more minature goodness to come in the coming weeks.

Thanks Natalie!

A special thank you to Natalie Jaran, a fellow gamer and skeptic at the JREF IRC channel, for the great banner that now graces this blog. Thanks again Natalie!

Addendum: Feb 23, 08: Doh! I've been calling Ms. Jaran "Nadine" all this time and her real name is "Natalie!" I feel like such a dope. Sorry, Natalie!

My Gaming Space

Well, this is it! My gaming table. Essentially I built a removable cover that goes over our living room pool table. It's large enough for just about any scale of game, 28mm and smaller.

Best of all, when the battle is over, all you need to do is remove the cover and you can shoot some pool!

More EPT Figures

Work continues on my Legion of Serqu from Eureka's Empire Of The Petal Throne figures. Here are two officers I just finished:

"Aridani" (i.e. Independent Female) Officer.

Male Officer

There is also supposed to be a picture of a standard bearer, but I've got to touch up the matte finish a little bit (it came out frosty) on the figure before its presentable enough to post a picture. More figures to come!

Empire Of The Petal Throne Preview

Here they are! The first two finished Legion Of Serqu spearmen (well, one is a man, the one on the right is a woman) from Eureka's Empire Of The Petal Throne series!

I was going to write a build-up on these minis, but I got so caught up with preparing them and painting them I neglected to shot pics along the way. I'll be more careful in the future.

Old Crow Grav Tanks Preview

I started in straight away on my Old Crow models that I received earlier this week? I finished assembling and airbrushing the camouflage scheme of my 15mm Grav Tanks that I intend to use for Hammer's Slammers.

HsAG13 "Angel" Grav Tank

HsAG19 Grav APC

I used the same model in both pics, I just made the turrets modular. I'm working on a complete write up on how I built and painted these things. I'm no, sure not sure if I'll post it here or to TMP, though. More later.

It's Christmas In.. Err... January!

Twas the 20th day after X-mas and I stopped off at the local post office to pick up my mail. When, what to my wondering eyes do appear but a yellow card telling me I had a package waiting. But which one? Was it my order of 15mm sci-fi vehicles from Old Crow, or was it the unit of Eureka Empire Of the Petal Throne spearmen I had just placed last Friday?

SURPRISE! It was both!

And here I was trying to figure out what to bring to this week's Tuesday night "craft night." I now now I'm going to have a lot of fun!

A Few Updates: 1/11/08

It's been a little while since I posted here, so here are some miniature and gaming related updates: I've ordered my first platoon of Hammer's Slammers combat cars from Old Crow along with a couple of grav tanks for a detachment of Terran Starmarines. I plan to start in on those right away as soon as they come in. I'll do a write-up/review to be put up here as well. I've also just placed an order for a spearmen unit of Legion of Serqu from Eureka's Empire Of The Petal Throne miniatures line. Since I want to use these for both skirmish and rank-and-file gaming, I'm thinking of mounting these on octagonal bases. Again, I'll do a write-up on these as soon as I get them.


Speaking of Tékumel, I'm working on a terrain piece inspired by M. A. R. Barker's Flamesong: A tubeway car station. I've all ready have the "car" itself finished save for some detailing, but the station has been giving some problems. I've decided to put this project on hold for a little while I rethink my design.